Tim Minchin
(born 7 October 1975) is an Australian comedian, actor and musician. He is best known for his musical comedy, which has featured in three CDs, two DVDs and a number of live comedy shows which he has performed internationally. He has also appeared on television and radio in both Australia and Britain. After growing up in Perth, Western Australia, he attended the University of Western Australia and WAAPA before moving to Melbourne in 2002 where he began to develop his act. His breakout show, "Dark Side", launched him into the public eye, achieving critical success at the 2005 Melbourne International Comedy Festival and the 2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Minchin has a background in theatre and has appeared in various stage productions, in addition to some small acting roles on Australian TV. He has written a script for a television pilot which has received some interest from US networks; in late 2007 he was reported to be in talks with HBO. A documentary film about Minchin, Rock N Roll Nerd
(directed by Rhian Skirving), was released theatrically in 2008 [1] and broadcast by ABC1 in 2009. [2]
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TIM MINCHIN TICKETS
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Personal life
He was raised in
Perth, Western Australia.
[3] and educated at
Christ Church Grammar School. He started learning piano at the age of eight, but gave it up after three years because he did not enjoy the discipline. He redeveloped an interest in the instrument after he started writing music with his brother Dan Minchin, a
guitarist, but still describes himself as a "hack pianist... a 'more you practice, the better you get' kind of guy."
[4] Minchin graduated from the
University of Western Australia in 1995 with a
Bachelor of Arts in English and Theatre, and in 1998 completed an Advanced Diploma in Contemporary Music at the
Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.
[5]
He currently lives in
London with his wife, Sarah, daughter Violet who was born on November 24, 2006
and son Caspar, who was born on July 3, 2009.
[6] Minchin often refers to his family life in his songs and stand-up and often draws on how he met his wife Sarah when he was 17 and on their life as a couple.
Career
Musical comedy
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After completing an Advanced Diploma in Contemporary Music in 1998, Minchin started out composing music for documentaries and theatre. In 2000 he wrote and starred in the musical "Pop" at the Blue Room Theatre in Perth.
[7] He released a CD titled "Sit" with his band Timmy the Dog in 2001, but achieved little success.
In 2002, after only one professional acting job, he moved from Perth to Melbourne to pursue work.
[8] Minchin struggled initially; he could not get an agent for a year and had been unable to find any acting work.
While several record companies gave him positive feedback, they were not sure how his music—which was a mixture of satirical songs and more serious pop songs—could be marketed. He decided to compile all of his humorous songs into a single live show to "get the comedy stuff off [his] chest" before going back to more serious music.
[9]
Minchin says he entered into comedy "naively", having never even attended a live comedy gig before performing one himself.
His break-out show, "Dark Side" (co-produced by Laughing Stock Productions), achieved critical success at the 2005 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, where it won the inaugural Festival Directors' Award and attracted the notice of Karen Koren, the manager of the well-known
Gilded Balloon venues.
[10] Koren backed the show's run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where Minchin received the
Perrier Comedy Award for Best Newcomer.
[11] His 2006 show, "So Rock", was nominated for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival's top prize, the
Barry Award, and in 2007 he won the award for Best Alternative Comedian at the
HBO US Comedy Arts Festival.
[12] [13]
Minchin describes his act as a "funny cabaret show" and sees himself primarily as a musician and songwriter as opposed to a comedian; his songs, he says, "just happen to be funny".
He draws on his background in theatre for his distinctive onstage appearance and persona.
In his performances, he typically goes barefoot with wild hair and heavy eye makeup, which is juxtaposed with a crisp suit and tails, and a grand piano. According to Minchin, he likes not wearing shoes in his shows because it makes him feel more comfortable. He considers the eye makeup important because while he is playing the piano he is not able to use his arms and relies on his face for expressions and gestures; the eyeliner makes his features more distinguishable for the audience.
Much of his look and persona, he says, are about "treading that line between mocking yourself about wanting to be an iconic figure. Mocking the ridiculousness and complete unrealistic dream of being an iconic figure."
[14] The eccentric appearance removes Minchin from reality somewhat, allowing him to make outrageous statements onstage "without annoying (most) people".
[15]
The shows consist largely of Minchin's comedic songs and poetry, with subjects ranging from social satire, to inflatable dolls and sex fetishes, to his own failed rock star ambitions. In between songs, he performs short stand-up routines.
Several of his songs deal with religion, a subject with which Minchin—an
atheist and a fan of
Richard Dawkins—says he is "a bit obsessed".
[16] He argues that as one of the most powerful and influential forces in the world, religion should never be off-limits to satirists. He says that his favourite song to perform is "Peace Anthem for Palestine", which reflects his feelings about religious conflict.
[17] His comedy also deals with
taboos more broadly, a subject which Minchin says interests him due to what he considers the hypocrisy in the things society classifies as appropriate and inappropriate.
[18]
In August 2008 Minchin debuted his third solo show, "Ready For This?" at the Edinburgh Fringe and subsequently took it on tour across the UK. During the Edinburgh run, he contributed to
The Guardian
newspaper's podcasts,
[19] despite his new show containing a song about a
Guardian
critic who once gave his show a savage review.
[20]. Live recordings of his 2005 and 2006 shows, "Dark Side" and "So Rock", have been released as CDs. In 2007, he released a DVD entitled
So Live
, featuring a live recording in the
Sydney Opera House Studio with material from both of his previous shows.
He has also made musical appearances on various radio and television shows, including the
BBC's
Never Mind the Buzzcocks
,
BBC Radio 4's
Mark Watson Makes the World Substantially Better
and two specials on
BBC Radio 2 in Britain; and the
ABC's
Spicks and Specks
and
The Sideshow
in Australia.
Minchin has written a pilot episode for a television series. Originally intended for the BBC, it has yet to be purchased by any TV network but has received some interest in the United States. In late 2007, Minchin was reported to be in talks with the American network HBO.
[21]
Acting
Minchin's background is in theatre and he has appeared in various stage productions. His most recent dramatic theatrical performance was in
the title role for the 2006
Perth Theatre Company production of
Amadeus
, a fictional play about the downfall of Mozart at the hands of the reigning court composer.
[22] His other stage acting roles have included the title role in the 2004 Perth Theatre Company / Hoopla production of
Hamlet
, and The Writer in the original PTC production of
Reg Cribb’s
The Return
. He has also acted for The Australian Shakespeare Company (
Twelfth Night
), the
Black Swan Theatre Company (
Cosi
,
One Destiny
) and in various other plays, short films and TVC’s. Roles from his days in
musical theatre include
Don Quixote in
Man of La Mancha
and
understudying
Judas twice (and playing
Pontius Pilate) in
Jesus Christ Superstar
.
He has played small roles on the ABC telemovie
Loot
, and on
Comedy Inc.
Minchin also plays the role of Tom, in the contemporary family drama
Two Fists, One Heart
, released March 19th 2009.
Discography
- 2001 - Sit (with band Timmy the Dog)
- 2005 - Dark Side
- 2005 - Laugh-a-poolooza (featured artist)
- 2006 - So Rock
- 2007 - So Live (DVD, Australia only)
- 2008 - So Fucking Rock (DVD, UK only)
- 2008 - Drowned (single)
- 2009 - Tim Minchin And Friends (two BBC radio specials)
- 2009 - Ready For This? Live at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London
Awards
;
- 2005 Melbourne International Comedy Festival Directors' Choice Award for Dark Side
[23]
- 2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe Perrier Comedy Award, Best Newcomer
- 2005 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, The Groggy Squirrel Critics' Award [24]
- 2007 U.S. Comedy Arts Festival, Best Alternative Act
References
- Pomeranz, Margaret: Rock N Roll Nerd, ''At the Movies'' (ABC1.
- Rock + Roll Nerd: The Tim Minchin Story, ABC1, 30 April 2009.
- Tim Minchin - Looney tunes
- INTERVIEW: Tim Minchin
- About
- Direct quote from Tim Minchin's Twitter on 03/07/09: "Uneventful 24 hrs: I delivered 1st draft of my musical yesterday, Sarah delivered my son this morning. Already back home. Name of Caspar." [1]
- http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/ArchivedStatements/Pages/CourtCoalitionGovernmentSearch.aspx?It
- Interview: Tim Minchin
- August 7 Episode
- Tim Minchin
- Minchin best newcomer
- Last Laugh: Barry Award nominees announced
- Tim's just funny that way
- Rock'n'roll nerd
- FAQ
- Tim Minchin: interview
- Interview: Tim Minchin interview
- Interview
- The Guardian Live at the Gilded Balloon, with Tim Minchin
- A show worth a Minchin - Tim Minchin interview
- Tim Minchin could appear in American sitcom
- Tim Minchin taking on Mozart and the world
- Comedy Festival Awards
- The Groggy Squirrel Critics' Award