FORGET about following the yellow brick road, this weekend it is a case of following the laughter to all the events associated with the inaugural Milton Ulladulla comedy festival, Ulladullirious.
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The festival has plenty to amuse and entertain people of all ages, and even internationally acclaimed comic Tom Gleeson is looking forward to watching other comedians take to the stage.
Gleeson, once described as Australia’s favourite redhead, is the festival’s headline act with a performance planned for Ulladulla ExServos Club on Friday night.
However he said he was looking forward to seeing comics of all ages strutting the stages and making people laugh.
“The fun thing about doing a comedy festival is I get to hang out with a lot of other comedians,” Gleeson said.
“The nights can be quite explosive.”
Gleeson said he was particularly looking forward to seeing emerging young comedic talent, including 15-year-old Rhys Davies, who was booked to perform in schools on Friday and busking at various venues around Milton and Ulladulla over the weekend.
“I like seeing new acts and I like seeing young acts,” Gleeson said.
“When I started I was 20 and I was considered really young, now they’re starting off when they are 14 or 15 and they’re good – I wasn’t that good when I was 20.”
Gleeson’s foray into comedy came when he was studying science at Sydney University and saw a poster for a stand-up comedy competition, and decided to try his hand.
Within weeks he was earning money as MC of regular events, and fell in love with the natural high that came from being on stage and making people laugh.
“You keep living for the next night, and if you put enough next nights in a row you’ve got a career,” he said.
When he graduated from his degree there was no question which path Gleeson was follow, and over the coming years he developed his role as a comedic smiling assassin, being laid back while tearing down sacred cows and tackling taboos.
“I really like taking people’s deeply held beliefs and showing them up in a different light,” he said.
He said he frequently walked the line between what was funny and what was offensive because “I always give something a go once”.
“Unless you’re prepared to take that risk you’re just another comedian making fun of reality TV,” he said.
* A full wrap-up of Ulladullirious can be found in the Show Times section.
