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 The clumsy litle boy who never grew up, FRANK WOODLEY, talks SIMON TOPPER through the aging process when your meal ticket is slapstick.
For a comedian so utterly and genuinely endeared to the Australian public as Frank Woodley (for the forgetful or lesser-endeared, he’s the goofy, lanky, wavy haired guy whose quick wit matches his ability to fall over), it’s odd to think he’s spent the last year or two building up his own confidence in performing solo.
Still, after almost 20 years as the silly one in the hat from Lano & Woodley, when the duo went their separate ways, Woodley admits he was left with a need to find out how it felt to perform under his own name. The result is his first created and written solo show, Possessed.
“It’s a big step in that way for me. I’ve spent the last 12 months doing a fair bit of solo stand up, and I also did the Complete Works Of William Shakespeare show that came up to Brisbane as well, but this is really my first significant solo show that I’ve put a lot of effort and work into. I mean I put a lot of work into the Shakespeare show as well, but I was really only brought on board as a hired gun with that one.
“To be honest in those first six months I was a little bit, not desperate, but pushing a little too hard because I was not really sure of how to play it. Over that time I got a much better handle on it, and now Possessed is really my first big solo thing where I’m putting myself out there and saying ‘Well this is me without Col, and let’s see if it works’.”
Following in the narrative style of much of the ex-duo’s work, the show is an altogether kooky story of a timid, obsessive recluse of a man whose house-bound life is disrupted when, wouldn’t you know it, he is possessed by the spirit of an impish 19th century Irish woman. ‘Hilarious’ is one of the descriptions routinely thrown at the show by critics, as is, intriguingly, ‘bittersweet love story’.
The show has played every other major Australian city, and will return directly from the infamous Edinburgh to start its Brisbane stint, so this far into its run, extended seasons and all, Woodley feels that everything that can has fallen into place. “I’m feeling really comfortable with it now. Every night I’ll still re-edit it or tweak it or rewrite any spots I think are a litle flat, but I’m at that point now where I can say I’m feeling pretty comfy. Not cocky! I wouldn’t say I’m feeling cocky, but pretty relaxed about it.
“I’ve kind of arked up the theatricality with this show as well. I do a lot of physical routines on the set, with his couch and the stairs, and I’ve had a few little gizmos made like an air vent that blows in the wind and gives me some grief, and I really love all that physical stuff with props and sets and all.”
I ask Woodley whether he sees his trademark physical comedy getting to be a barrier as he gets older. “Yeah, I think so. I mean, you can only really fall down the stairs so many times. I’m certainly not as bouncy and bendy as I used to be. I think there are a couple of periods of your life when you notice it. When you’re 10 you’re quite bouncy, then when you’re 25 that starts to diminish a bit, and now I’ve just turned 40. I think it’s not the sort of thing I could do at this level for another 15 years, so I’m just knocking it over before I get osteoporosis.
“My birthday’s on 29 February, so technically I’m only 10, so I have the feeling that I’ve gotten a bit confused, and written a show that’s designed for the body of a 10 year-old boy, and forgotten that I’m actually a 40 year-old man.”
FRANK WOODLEY’s POSSESSED will play the Brisbane Powerhouse from Tuesday Sep 2 through to Sunday Sep 28. Tickets start from $37 via www.brisbanepowerhouse.org
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