Grantblings

Puppet Up Down Under 2014 – April 12, 2014 – Late Show

Today’s schedule is a little but different from the other show day schedules we have had so far. Tonight there’s a televised comedy show, that’s also part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, that’s using the Princess Theatre for a show that ends at 5:00 PM. That means they won’t even be done cleaning up by the time our normal call is. Because of this our show has been pushed back to 8:30 PM. So today is a little more relaxed than normal. Not that our days are ever rushed, but we just have a little more time than normal.

And what a beautiful day it was today in Melbourne. The rain has abated and, though it’s a little cloudy, the sun was out. Perfect day to go out exploring. First though, I went and worked out, running on the treadmill and lifting some weights. Feels so good to get that back into my routine.

After showering, I met up with Dan and we headed out into Melbourne to explore a bit. We walked over to Federation Square which is this really cool part of town. Sort of old and new coming together. There’s a beautiful old church and Flinders Street Station, but then there’s a bit museum to the moving image which is in a really neat building. Lots of people bustling around. We watched some street performers, Dan took a few ‘Danaramas’ and then we pressed on looking for somewhere to eat.

After walking around and looking at all the different food options, we decided on a place called, I believe, Sea Salt. Mostly sea food, but they had regular fare as well. It was one of these places tucked deep in an alleyway here in Melbourne. Love that about this city. We walked around a bit more, then headed back to the hotel to relax a bit.

Got over to the theatre at our call time and got set for soundcheck. The top notch crew of the Princess Theatre had our set all ready to go. It was amazing, not that I doubted them at all, it just a big job. They killed it. It was like the other show never even came in.

We did our soundcheck, ran through the opening,finale and Breezy. Then it was time to get the blacks on for the show.

Tonight’s show was a lot of fun. The crowd seemed to have a little higher class suggestions tonight, though ‘fisting’ still made it in there. The Hot Dogs attempted to out out a fire, the game show was Robbing A Bank, we saw a game of Frisbee Golf mixed with some kinky sex and a reminiscence of a sex change. It was a fun night.

Got to do Alien Barbershop again. The suggestion was: Love Boat.

I watch Love Boat
And my tears start welling
and the man I have to thank
Is that asshole Aaron Spelling.

Best I could come up with in the moment. Of course, immediately after the show I came up with a different take on it, but that’s the nature of the show.

After the show I went out to help with the lobby photos. So much fun meeting the folks in the audience afterwards.

After the lobby photos and getting freshened up I went to head back to the hotel and on the way out met the, multi-talented Ingrid Elkner and it was fun to chat with her a bit in person as opposed to online.

After that it was just back hotel. Dan bailed on me for dinner so I just grabbed some on my own then sat down to write this post. One more show tomorrow and then, a day off. And we have some fun things planned for that day off.

Puppet Up Down Under – April 11, 2014 – Breezy

Woke up well roasted and headed to the gym. After a run on the treadmill and lifting some weights I went back and showered. Then I felt with that darn washer/dryer combo I’ve mentioned earlier. I was finally able to get my clothes to come out semi-wrinkle free. They were perfect but what can you do?

I then went out and got a nice salad with chicken for lunch and then just went back to my room to work on a little writing.

At 3:45, I went with Brian to meet up with Patrick, Julianna and Peggy to go do some press. Just a photo basically of one of the other comedians here at the festival and some of the puppets. Then we went back up to the theatre to have a meeting about how the show was going to be mixed up tonight, some new structures and the debut of our new piece. Then we went down for tech rehearsal to work out that new piece.

The new piece is a set, non-improved, piece called Breezy. For those of you who have seen the show in Toronto, or at the Kirk Douglas Theatre or on the brief Midwest tour, it’s very similar to a piece we no longer do. Ted’s character is singing a song about a girl and is describing her as being ver ‘breezy.’ The rest of us are working two table top back up singers. During the song chaos breaks out because of a powerful fan off stage that is blowing the back up singers’ hair. I won’t go I to any more details because you should see the bit.

It went well for our first run before a live audience tonight. And tonight’s show was a lot of fun. Great suggestions from the crowd. We saw some Speed Dating get out of hand, the Hot Dogs doing synchronized swimming while talking about becoming vegetarians, a game show centered around Celebrity Death and, as always, an Alien Barbershop number. This one was about Marriage Counseling.

I’m in marriage counseling.
Going well, it’s not.
My wife’s a fucking bitch,
But the counselor is hot.

Got a pretty good laugh there at the end. As I said, it was a super fun show and I think the audience enjoyed it. After we went out to take photos with the audience in the lobby and that’s always fun. People are always excited to see the puppets up close and get their photos taken.

After getting back to the hotel, Dan and I went to scrounge up some food. At one of the places we went, I met a cashier who was from Redwood City, just a few short miles from my hometown. That was fun meeting someone from close to home, so far away from home. Her and I both commented on how much Melbourne is like San Francisco.

Then it was back to the hotel to do so,e writing and do some FaceTime calls to Florida before hitting the hay. Tomorrow is another show day and I’m super excited.

Living the dream.

Puppet Up Down Under 2014 – April 10, 2014 – Comics

I’m afraid today’s post won’t be all that interesting, but perhaps it will. Let’s find out together.

The morning started as they all have, pretty much, with a run on the treadmill and some weight lifting. I rally like the gym here where we are staying. It’s big and roomy and the treadmills overlook this busy little side street. It provides plenty of opportunities to people watch as you are working out. The only problem with today’s workout is that there’s a radio in the room and someone had it cranked. I had my earbuds in listening to Nerd Poker, but could still hear the radio. Frustrating, but what can you do? Nothing. After working out I showered and answered a few emails. The. Went out for a walk.

Still rainy here in Melbourne, but not cold, so very pleasant to walk around if you don’t mind the rain. I headed to the comic book store to see what was new. I like this store because, along with comics and the usual comic book store items, they sell vintage toys. I could look at the case of Masters of the Universe and M.A.S.K. Toys all day and remember my childhood playing with them. I wound up not buying anything (comics or toys) but it was fun to look. I then went and grabbed some lunch at Subway.

Funny thing about the Subways here. I have only seen one that sells chips (and I mean potato crisps, not chips as in French fries). They all sell sandwhiches, cookies (and brownies) but only one had chips and they had a very small rack of them. So I got a sandwich, then went over to 7-11 to buy chips. They have 7-11s just about every five feet here in Australia. There’s 7-11 here that you can stand in front of and see two other 7-11s. They are kind of like Australia’s Starbucks. I’ve only seen one Starbucks.

Anyway, chips and sandwich in had I headed back to the hotel. Had to spend a little time hanging in the lobby while our apartment was cleaned. Then I actually went up and napped for a little bit after doing some writing and emails.

Around 5:00 PM, I went out to get some dinner. I found a great place we had walked past a ton of times called Nando’s. It reminded me a lot of my favorite chicken/burrito place Charo Chicken. Had a nice lite chicken dinner and then headed to the theater.

At the theatre we did our usual tech and then rehearsed this new piece that, I believe, will work its way into the show tomorrow night. It is coming together, so we shall see. Rehearsal went right up to half hour call and then it was time to get ready for the show.

Tonight’s show was a blast. Lots of fun suggestions from the crowd and a great, fifteen year old, audience puppeteer. We had anal probes at the lobotomy clinic, Kanye West at a talent show and the hot dogs landing in the moon. The alien barbershop suggestion was Onion Farming

I love onion farming
I’ll do it to my death.
I love plowing the field
But I hate my bad breath.

After the show, I went out to help with the Facebook pictures and meet the audience, which is always fun,, then, not being invited anywhere, I just headed back to the room to do some more writing.

Puppet Up Down Under 2014 – April 8, 2014 – Back to the Princess

Woke up in my, now permeant, room that has an amazing view of Melbourne. Pretty great…24th floor, corner room, windows for most of the walls. Just amazing.

After checking some email and surfing the latest news, I headed down to the gym to run on the treadmill. Good to get back to it after a day off. Then, after showering and shaving, I went to meet up with Dan to get some grub.

I went to Dan’s room to collect him for our fooding adventure and, while he prepared, I was looking out the windows of his corner room. His room faces an office building which you can clearly see into. As I stepped up to the window, I noticed a woman in the office sitting at the desk look over at me. I waved. She waved back. Dan asked what I was doing and I said, “Waving to the lady.” Dan rushes over to the window and the woman waves at him too. I don’t know why, but I thought it was so funny.

Dan is working on a cool secret project for the show that I’m super lucky to be involved it. When it’s added to the show, I’ll be sure to let you know. I think it’s going to be great and I’m super glad to be working with Dan on it.

Dan and I went out for Japanese food. I was sort of luke warm on the idea, as my tastes are not too adventurous. Outside of edemame and tempura, there’s not a lot for me to eat at a Japanese place. I ordered a chicken, egg and rice dish. It wasn’t much to look at but it was decent. I got edemame too.

Then I went back up to the room, hung out, did some FaceTiming with home and just relaxed before it was time to head to the theatre.

Today was an earlier tech call than we have had just because we are moving back into the theatre. In Sydney we had added THE END and the Digital Puppetry pieces to the show, so we had to tech those in the new theatre. We’re also working on a new bit that will make its debut in a few days. Again, more on that when it goes in.

We did tech work until about 5:00 PM, then it was a quick dinner break, then back for the show!

The show tonight was a ton of fun. Lots of great suggestions from the crowd. We saw some Jelly Wrestling, a news report about a Grandmother finishing a crossword puzzle, a lesson about brain surgery, some juggling while twerking and, of course, the Alien Barbershop about a Wet T-shirt Contest

At the wet T-shirt contest
I tried to keep calm
But the woman who won
It was my mom.

My favorite line of the night was in the news segment. Colleen said, as an expert, our society is turning into a socialist/fascist state. Ted, news reporter, asked the field reporter if this was true. Brian said, “Yes. It is true. There’s no bread to be found anywhere.” FOr some reason that just killed me.

After the show we took photos with some of the audience in the lobby, always a fun time. Then, after dropping our stuff off at the hotel, Dan and I went out to get food at a place called Panned Pizza. Let me tell you this, Panned Pizza has some amazing hamburgers. They really do. The pizza always looks like it has been sitting around all day, but the hamburgers are cooked fresh and totally worth it.

Tomorrow, it’s another show. I have the best job ever!