Andrea Gibbs is one of Perth’s most prominent comedians, actors and broadcasters, a co-creator of Barefaced Stories, and a core member of The Big HOO-HAA! She is also one half of the cast of Declan Greene’s new play Eight Gigabytes Of Hardcore Pornography.
Tell us about Eight Gigabytes.
The show is about two desperate middle-aged strangers. One is addicted to porn and the other is drowning in credit card debt. Trying to overcome their loneliness they meet each other on an online dating site and their lives become entwined. I would describe it as a bleak comedy.
It’s a new work, written by the very talented Declan Greene and directed by Griffin Theatre’s own Artistic Director, Lee Lewis.
It’s an incredibly unique show that is both brave and confronting. I haven’t read or seen anything like it before.
The characters have been called unlikeable – how do you feel about your character?
I don’t think the characters are entirely unlikable, they are just realistic. Coming to see the show will be like looking in the mirror for a lot of people, and if you’re anything like me you don’t like yourself everyday! Both of the characters are pretty miserable, but if we’re honest, misery finds us all at some point.
I have a lot of sympathy for my character. She is drowning in debt, her children hate her, her ex-husband is threatening to hurt her – but still plugs away at life as best she can. She’s lonely and desperate, but she’s really tough as well.
Just reading that last bit, she sounds like me! As a comedian, I guess I am having fun playing with her. I think most comedians have a dark side that lets them take a negative thing and turn it funny.
What can audiences expect from Eight Gigabytes?
I don’t think anyone is going to leave this show without being affected in some way. There’s so much humanity in it that not one person will get away scot-free without questioning their own lives. In saying that, don’t panic – there’s plenty of laughs – especially if you enjoy cringeworthy moments. Don’t come if you want to see porn or hot people, Steve and I are not hot.
What’s next on your radar?
I am the co-creator of Barefaced Stories, a performance night that features real people, telling real stories from their lives. After 8 Gigs, I will be working with the Mental Health Commission doing workshops for people who have suffered from mental illnesses to help them tell their stories. It leads to reducing stigma around mental health and I have so much fun hearing interesting stories along the way.
8 Gigabytes of Hardcore Pornography will be at Griffin Theatre from Friday May 9 to Saturday June 14, tickets available through the website.
