Sarah Millican is a delight.
While you’re happy to sit back and enjoy most comics at a safe removal onstage, Millican is someone you could see yourself quite happily taking home to Mother. What is even better is that she’d probably take you up on the offer. Her latest tour, Outsider, is all about stepping away from familiar trappings and enjoying the weird and wonderful (provided she has a suitable cardigan. And sensible shoes; that goes without saying). It’s quite a journey from her days as a civil servant to a globe-trotting funnylady.
“It is a bit weird,” Millican says. “When I was a civil servant I really wanted to be a writer, so it feels huge that I have achieved this. But I still feel a little overwhelmed when I walk onto a stage and see lots of people who have chosen me as their night out. It feels wonderful. I couldn’t even get invited to parties as a teenager.”
Though not a revelation of side-splitting hilarity, part of Millican’s path to success was a committed work ethos that saw her undertake a variety of classes in refining her writing skills. It’s one thing to be able to drop a joke here and there off the cuff, but for Millican, developing a routine is as much about humour as it is preparation.
“I’ve done a couple of writing courses and workshops. I did a playwriting course a long time ago and still use what I learnt. The workshop I did at the start of my stand-up career gave me lots of skills I use every day. My writing style for stand-up is just to constantly be scribbling. I always have a notebook with me. That way, when I have a new material gig booked in, I just go through my most recent scribblings. It’s very low-key but constant and absolutely works for me. I respond to deadlines, but lack of food does not a happy Sarah make.”
Since those fledgling days, Millican has found herself with a recurring guest spot on QI (I mean, she gets to hang out with Stephen Fry; what else do you want from a career?), and scooped enough accolades to break a shelf: Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Fringe, BAFTA nominations, and the 2011 Queen of Comedy at the British Comedy Awards (the actual Queen sends us her best, Millican relays). Outsider is now her fourth touring show, and as part of her Australian rambling, will stop by the Seymour Centre in April.
“I’ve been [to Australia] a few times now and always had a lovely time. Apart from when you trapped me with the ash cloud, but I suppose technically that wasn’t your fault. I’m hoping to see some excellent friends, eat all of your delicious food and get some sun on my bones. And if, during my two-week trip, I could hold a koala like a baby, that would be great too. I’m mainly hoping to avoid dying from a creature I didn’t know existed. But that’s the same every time I come. It’s part of the fun. But I carry my slippers everywhere, so no need to worry about that. I’m also a dab hand with a newspaper or weekly magazine. Good wrists, see. I’m probably going to download lots of pictures of things that kill and memorise their faces. My problem is I love animals and get excited when I see a new one, so if you see me gently approaching a killer anything with meat in my hand and a kind expression, shout, please.”
[Sarah Millican photo by Matt Crockett]
Sarah Millican’s showOutsiderruns Saturday April 9 and Sunday April 10 at Seymour Centre.
