In the annals of mismatched comedy roommates, Sammy J and Randy are well qualified to take out the human/puppet top spot
In the annals of mismatched comedy roommates, Sammy J and Randy are well qualified to take out the human/puppet top spot, well unless you count stuff with the Muppets, which just wouldn’t be fair.
Their 2010 show Ricketts Lane won the Barry Award for Most Outstanding Show at the Comedy Festival. It was a manic, unhinged, freewheeling un-airable sitcom of a show and the man, the puppet and the man with his arm stuck up the puppet are back again this year. “I wouldn’t use the word sequel, as there is no continuity from the last show, but it is another episode in our world,” Sammy J confesses of this new offering. “Last year was our first show together, as Randy and Sammy and we had a lot of fun. The audiences like us and so we thought it would be churlish not to return with anther show. So really we are just trying to spread the goodwill a little further and hope a few people come along and more people like our stuff.”
Sammy is a rather well-established stand-up comedian in his own right, so even though this is his third show with puppeteer and co-writer Heath McIvor, he still enjoys the freedom of not being the only person on stage.
“It is a very different experience working with Randy,” Sammy says full of puppet love, “and there are a lot of advantages as well. It is great sharing the stage with someone – you can’t have a bad gig. If something goes wrong you are both just taking the piss out of it the whole time. I am so fond of Randy and I know him so well, that for the whole show I don’t think its Heath. I’ll be talking to Randy, expecting reactions from Randy and everything I do is in that world. I can only attribute it to Heath’s skill, because he is able to make me forget about him even though he is right next to my balls for a whole hour.”
It’s an intimate working relationship that requires one half of the duo to endure such working conditions, so thankfully they have bonded over a love of comedy rather than what would best be described as prison familiarity. “We write the whole thing together, it really is a case of locking ourselves in a lounge room and trying to make each other laugh,” explains Sammy. “We are both pretty passionate about comedy so we have been through a lot of argument and debate to make it there but I think it does improve the quality. We spend half the show laughing at each other.”
“This show starts at midnight, out the front of our house as we are trying to catch the person who has been putting rubbish in our bin. So it’s a suburban neighbourhood crime thriller,” Sammy explains. “There’s a physiological thrill to it but not on the level of Black Swan or anything.”
Sammy J and Randy perform Bin Night at The Victoria Room’s Banquet Room from March 31 and April 24, but not on Mondays. It’s at 7pm and 6pm on Sundays. Tickets are $18 – $28.90 from Ticketmaster online, 1300 660 013 or on the door.
