Calling all StageSiders, welcome back to another instalment of StageSide Stories here on the StageSideUK website. This time around we are talking all things comedy, musical comedy, joke writing and show making with Sammy J. We also get a glimpse into the comedians new show Hero Complex, which is coming to Fringe this year!
To begin, could you introduce yourself and tell us a little about Hero Complex?
Hello! Nice to meet you, internet reader. My name is Sammy J (born Samuel Jonathan McMillan, but let’s be honest, that’s not as catchy). I’m an Australian musical comedian who has spent his career writing jokes, telling stories, and singing songs. In Hero Complex, I combine those three things to spin a tale that starts in my childhood and carries us through to the present day. It’s part memoir, part thriller, and part love story.
Twelve years is a long time between Fringe shows. What convinced you that this was the story worth coming back with?
My first Fringe was back in 2007 – nineteen years ago! – and I then returned every year for nearly a decade, both as a solo act and with my purple partner in crime Randy Feltface. I love Edinburgh – the energy, the people, the audiences – but then we started a family, I became far more Australia-focused with my work, and touring wasn’t nearly as appealing. This show, though, is the thing I’m most proud of – it’s the best version of me, and trust me, there’s been lots of dodgy versions on stage – and it’s had such a positive response at home that I’m really excited to throw it out there into the Fringe universe and see if people enjoy it.
The entire show begins with swapping comic books with your school gardener. Do you ever stop and think how bizarre it is that such a tiny decision ended up shaping your life?
All the time! I’m mildly obsessed with butterfly effect narratives – not big dramatic ones, but just the ones that we all have in our lives. If we hadn’t caught that tram; if we hadn’t attended that party; if we hadn’t taken that job – all the moments that become the tapestry of our lives. In my case, I suppose the difference is that I have fastidiously catalogued everything in my life like a budding historian, so I can pull these threads on stage and provide evidence along the way. As the saying goes – “boy who writes diary every night for a decade is a loser, but boy who writes diary every night for a decade then puts on a Fringe show is a forward-thinker.”
Superheroes spend their lives wondering whether one choice can change the world. Did comic books shape the way you see your own story, or did you only realise the parallels when you started writing the show?
What a brilliant question. The comic books that form the thread of this show were The Phantom – that’s the purple guy who Billy Zane played – and a huge part of my story, and this show, is the fact that the Phantom really wasn’t very popular. Like, he was a bit of a dud superhero. No super powers. No cool gadgets. And all the other kids at school were into Batman and the X-Men but I kind of foolishly backed the wrong horse then had to search really hard to find a fellow Phantom fan – who, it turned out, was my school gardener. To that end, I think the Phantom helped consolidate my identity as a bit of an oddball outsider – but a very contented one.
Your career has had so many different chapters,musical comedy, puppetry, political satire, radio, television. Do you ever feel like you’ve had to reinvent yourself to stay creatively excited?
Oh yes – that’s pretty much what keeps me going. I don’t enjoy sitting still, or doing the same thing over and over, which has led to a slightly inconsistent career but one in which I’ve been able to tackle lots of different projects. Reinvention is the main thing that excites me and makes me nervous, so although it comes with a more constant fear of failure, there’s a lovely element of growth and adventure that goes with it too.
Comedy often asks us to laugh at the unbelievable. Was there ever a point while writing Hero Complex where you thought, “No one’s going to believe this actually happened”?
Yes! So many moments. Before I wrote the show, I would tell friends the story and was annoyed that so many of them thought I was making it up. That’s when I turned to personal nerdy archive to put the show together – diaries, photos, videos – as the kids say, I brought receipts.
You’ve spent years making audiences laugh through characters and satire. Does telling a story that’s genuinely yours feel more exposing, or more freeing?
A bit of both! To some extent, when I’m not playing a character, I can’t be as big or as outrageous. But “big” and “outrageous” can often become “irksome” and “annoying” so there’s a real joy in being a little more chill on stage and meeting people as a fellow human rather than a caricature.
Edinburgh has changed a lot over the past decade, and so have you. How different do you think the Sammy J arriving this year is from the one who last performed here?
Very different, in the best possible way. Back in the old days Edinburgh was often about next steps – what opportunities could I get from performing at the festival; would there be a producer or an agent in the crowd, blah blah blah. It’s lovely to be returning purely for the joy of the show itself – I’m doing 12 shows, I’m hoping there’ll be a crowd and that they’ll enjoy it, but either way I’ll then be back on a plane to Melbourne. The lack of career baggage is a beautiful thing, but I’m also hoping to pay respect to younger me who slogged away on the cobbles all those years ago, by putting on a great show and giving it everything.
If someone watches Hero Complex knowing nothing about you, what do you hope they discover by the end of the hour?
Well, I assume most people will know nothing about me, so the show has very much been designed as an introduction! I hope they enjoy my work, first and foremost, and I also hope they discover that even weird skinny kids with questionable taste in comic books can grow up to have a healthy and happy life. Being a massive nerd at school can be awkward at the time but it’s a healthy long term strategy for everyone.
Finally, if you could give one piece of advice to an aspiring comedian, what would it be?
Follow your own path. Make shows that you would want to see. Play the long game!
Thank you to Sammy for answering my questions and giving us some insight into the world of comedy. I tip my hat to any comedians, because the thought of doing stand up or a one man show gives me the sweats!
Have your say
Are you thinking of starting a career as a comedian? Are you studying comedy or stand up performance at college, University or Drama School? How are you finding the process, and do you have any tips?
Let me know in the comments!
If you are interested in being featured in the next installment of StageSide Stories, then please do reach out to us and we would be happy to discuss this with you.
As always, please be respectful of each other’s opinions and be kind to each other.
Bullying will not be tolerated and harmful language may be removed. Head over to the Terms and conditions page to learn more about our policies, here at StageSideUK.
Follow us on Twitter and give our page a like on Facebook.