We are certainly being spoilt this Adelaide Fringe! Award winning Canadian comedian, actor and playwright, Dion Arnold, is an international success, touring around the world to high acclaim and he brings to Adelaide his show, ‘My Grandmother’s M.A.I.D.’ If his credentials aren’t enough to entice you, then one of his reviews should, “Even his laugh is funny.” – what more could you ask for!
SAT: Dion, welcome to Adelaide Fringe! You are an experienced performer who tours around the world. Have you performed at an Adelaide Fringe before?
DA: Thanks for having me. It’s a lovely city you have here. First time, and I must say, it’s so good to be here.
SAT: The subject matter of your show is very serious and also personal. How is it also a comedy? Can you tell us more about it?
DA: haha I love this about Australians.. Serious and personal?! How can that be funny? Haha but that’s all I know how to make fun of! Myself and things that need to be taken down a peg. Like myself!
Humour comes from the juxtaposition of our expectation vs. reality. Misdirection (expectation) and reveal (Reality). Take my show for instance, the expectation is that death is sad, ( Oh, did no one know it’s about death? Oh, well, it’s not. It’s about… bunnings. Yeah. bunnings. And snags.) but the ensuing reality of the situation that my family experienced was so far from sad. It was hilarious in fact, because my grandmother was so happy. And that expectation being flipped on its head is what made the situation so funny, and is the reason why this show is a comedy and is why the humour works.
SAT: What inspired you to make this particular experience into a show?
DA: How much my grandmother made me laugh.
SAT: Your show has been described as heartwarming and also heartbreaking. What have been some of the audience reactions?
DA: haha my favourite review of the show comes from a dear friend who wasn’t sure how she was going to handle the show and at the end she was holding 3 wine glasses in one hand, with her other arm around her boyfriend and exclaiming to me “ You made me laugh, and then you made my cry and then you made me laugh again and then you made me cry again and then laugh and laugh and laugh and now I don’t know I’m supposed to feel!”
It was great.
SAT: Are your previous works inspired by personal events? Or where do you find inspiration for your creations?
DA: Typically, yes. My last show was also about a particularly hilarious interaction that lead to an amazing story. I like things that are whacky and silly and absurd, but that come from a moment in reality. It makes the subject universal, but the story my own.
SAT: How long have you been doing standup? Has it always been a dream of yours and a passion to perform?
DA: I’ve been performing standup since I was 19. And yes, I was an obnoxious, annoying nuisance to every teacher, girlfriend, parent, sibling, classmate and co-worker before that. Because I was yet to have that outlet to push that creativity through.
SAT: You have recorded a comedy album with Comedy Records. Could you tell us more about that? Is it available for purchase?
DA: It is, It’s called The Underdog Comedy Show and it was a compilation album recorded at the show I used to run in Edmonton at the Blackdog FreeHouse, Called obviously, Underdog. It’s a bunch of our favourite underdogs from around town and it’s a smashing album.
SAT: You have won many “Best of the Fest” and other awards. Do you have any stand out memories from previous festivals and performances?
DA: Oh I’ll never forget the name Roger Lavesque. Upon opening our first ever fringe show, he gave us a hilarious 2 star review for our show So I Was At A Threesome Last Week… Which later received 4 and 4&½ star reviews that same festival that same year. Haha I remember exclaiming “I’ll never forget the name Roger Lavesque.” and my stage partner and writing partner Alex Sparling saying back to me “It’s Robert.” “His name is Robert Lavesque.” haha oh man, I’ll never forget that name… Roger Lavesque…
SAT: How did you locate the Adelaide venues? Was it logistically difficult from the other side of the world? How do these venues suit and complement your show?
DA: God I can barely remember. It’s all such a blur of email-chains and late night coffee binges.. (We’re a 13 hour time difference and yes that plays its part, even when answering emails and trying to meet deadlines..) But I think I found the Basem3nt and the A Club through the festival AVR listings, and reached out to see if they’d have me. That’s the thing with being international and it being the first time in a city. You’re going in a bit blind. Haha I have no idea how they’ll suit my show… Full houses and free beers is all I can hope for.
SAT: Will you be catching any shows while you’re here? Anything take your fancy?
DA: well I have a show every night of my run in Adelaide so, it’ll depend on what has Matinees! I’m hoping to see / would recommend seeing: Jon Bennett: How I Learned To Hug (one of my favourite’s of his), Greek Comedian of the Year, Cristina Lark Caution Deadline Ahead, Nurse Georgie Carroll: Treat Yourself, Christian Elderfield: Suited and Rooted, A Complete waste of Time, Love is a work in Progress with Tara Rankine, Pity Party, the After Hours Club Cabaret, & StampTown, to name a few.
SAT: What do you have planned for the rest of the year?
DA: VACATION. No haha. I will be heading back to Canada for the Montreal, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton and Vancouver Fringe Festivals, with standup tours filling in the gaps. Hoping to be filming in Belize in the fall for the sequel to a feature that hasn’t been released yet so I can’t say any more on that. My film production partner, Cole Vandale is currently at Sundance with our short film Starlight, Which we’re planning to be making into a feature early next year. So Yeah, Vacation would be nice. haha I might try to stop off in Vietnam or Thailand on my way home and hit a buffet just to recoup my losses. *points at own rib cage*
My Grandmother’s M.A.I.D. is playing Feb 17 – 20 at:
Loft at A Club Adelaide,109 – 111 Waymouth St, Adelaide.
And Feb 15-16, 21-23 at:
BASEM3NT Studios at BASEM3NT, Basement Level, 15-17 Featherstone Pl,, off Gawler Place, Adelaide.
Tickets and more information here
Website and social media:
https://www.dionarnold.com/
https://www.facebook.com/DionArnoldComedian/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg5RyIwC9lAVuyHS_koyrPw?view_as=subscriber
