One of Australia’s favourite comedians, Judith Lucy, is back home but this time there’ll be no singing and no dancing, just gags about yoga, beards and party pies for her new show Nothing Fancy.
Last year’s ABC1 television series Judith Lucy’s Spiritual Journey followed her search for spiritual guidance. This year she’s working on her memoir. Her stand-up show will bring these strands together.
“Basically with my stand-up shows, I tend to just talk about what’s been going on in my life since the last time I did my show, which was about three years ago,” Lucy said.
“I’ll certainly be talking about the television series, and I’ll actually be talking about the 10-day meditation retreat I went on.”
After experiencing a range of different religions and spiritualities, at the end of the series Lucy found she didn’t quite mesh with any religion but found relief in yoga and meditation.
“I certainly didn’t come to some point at the end of the series where I went, ‘I’m Amish now’, ” she said. “Which is surprising ’cos I’d look great with a beard, and in fact often have one.
“I took yoga up at a low point in my life, basically. My parents died — and my life turned into a bit of a shit sandwich.”
After turning to alcohol, Lucy believed it was time for a change.
“For the first time in my life I was just kicking every day off with a stubby and then going back to bed, and I thought this possibly isn’t the healthiest way to live my life and I wanted to get healthier.
“The only sport I ever tried and enjoyed was yoga. It just helps you get to know your crazy mind and, I’ll be honest with you, it’s not always a pleasant process.
“There have been times where it’s been kind of like living in that movie Requiem For A Dream, kind of a waking nightmare.”
The book, Lucy said, is her answer to Eat, Pray, Love, except she believes her version is more like “ ‘Drink, Smoke, Pass out’, in a nutshell”.
Fans of Lucy and newcomers alike should know that her shows revolve around subjects affecting her life.
For instance, many of her past performances focused on her discovering she was adopted. She also wasn’t able to shower due to her mother’s fear of running water.
“I think it’s certainly not a conscious thing, but I suppose it would be dreadful if I was still cracking the same jokes I was 20 years ago,” she said.
“I suppose if the material changes, it’s a reflection of how I’ve changed.”
Lucy said after her show she’s back in the hotel room with a glass of red, and the best thing about touring is “almost nothing”.
“No, the thing I enjoy the most is actually getting up on stage and doing the show. It’s pretty weird to be honest,” she said.
“It’s not like I’m in a band, unfortunately, and spend the rest of my time, I dunno, picking up guys cocked off my face.
“That sounds like fun, but the reality is I’m a middle-aged woman and I do the show and head back to the hotel.
“Annoyingly you do end up spending a lot of time by yourself — luckily for everyone, I enjoy doing the show.”
INFO: Nothing Fancy opens at the Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park on February 2. Melbourne and Adelaide dates to be announced. Visit www.ticketek.com.au or call 02 9357 1419.
