Titty Bar Ha Ha Feature

Titty Bar Ha Ha brings together two very English roses (thorns included) for an hour of dark humour, sharp original songs and bunker games. On the eve of their Australian tour, we chat to Nai and Boo.

How did you get your start in the industry?

Nai: I studied drama at uni (where Boo and I met, incidentally), and then moved to London for a post-grad diploma at drama school, as so many of us did.  I spent a few years doing schools tours and little bits and pieces here and there – was asked to co-found a sketch-comedy group in around 2006. We spent a few years on the London circuit, went to Edinburgh – all the usual sorts of places! It reached a natural hiatus shortly before I got a phone call from Boo asking if I’d like to be involved in her next project for the tour circuit – Titty Bar Ha Ha. And here I am!

Boo: I used to write and perform political satire and songs in London. I did one-woman shows but hung around with the comedians. I’d do one-woman plays where if you made people cry at the end when you died, that was a good thing. Now it’s me that cries if I die at the end. People want to see comedy. I like to have fun at work. It works both ways. I started by producing myself. I learnt the slow but sure way year by year. Now some of my tour is produced by myself, and other states are produced by a lovely management team, More comedy. I like that I did it myself as it teaches you the value of marketing and on the ground work, and how the money is being spent. You get the rounded picture and you work harder.

Best part of what you do?

Nai: The travel, and the amazing people you meet along the way. The festival circuit, although it can be tiring, is also some of the most fun you can have. There aren’t many jobs where you can acquire an ever-expanding global family of wonderfully creative, inspiring, entertaining people. There are always familiar faces at every step of the way.

Boo: Loving going to work. Making my own work. Travelling the world with my work and fannying around in my knickers making people laugh!

And the worst part?

Nai: There are worse problems to have in life, but being away from the UK for much of the year means I do miss my (actual) family and friends from home.  And the travel does make it hard to put down roots and settle.

Boo: Worrying if the audiences will come. Nothing can make or break you quicker than door sales.

Any interesting experiences you can share?

Nai: I find it all interesting – is that really lame? We were the support act for Puppetry of the Penis for their UK tour last year. They were absolute gentlemen, of course, but we had a lot of fun.  There’s generally never a dull moment when you spend your life surrounded by entertainers…

Boo: Fave gig ever has to have been the one we did as the sun went down at the mines in SA. It was on scaffold under a tarp with a high beam lamp to light us. We had big beardy miners up on stage playing party games and doing glove removal dances. They brought us a sandwich plate after and we all had beers together before they had to turn in. Awesome night and really good blokes! We did another gig for an Arabian prince that we are not allowed to talk about…that was interesting.

Favourite album of all time and why?

Nai: My music collection is woefully embarrassing.  I think I’ll have to go for Headlines & Deadlines, the Greatest Hits compilation by A-ha, as it reminds me of dancing around with my sister when we were younger. And then several years later when we went to their farewell tour…

Boo: Can’t do one! Impossible. Can I have three? Blondie – Parrallell Lines, Meatloaf – Bat Out of Hell 2, Talking Heads – Stop Making Sense…shit….can I add Guns N Roses – Appetite for Destruction?

Best live performance that you’ve ever seen?

Nai: In terms of music concerts, I’m a massive Take That fan (I know, but I will not apologise for it.  I don’t think they’re that big over here anyway, are they?). They always put on an incredible show. For comedy, I went to see Eddie Izzard’s latest tour, Force Majeure, and I think it’s one of the best he’s done. I just love him.

Boo: A drag artist called Dallas Dellaforce. Blew my mind!

Take us through a typical day in the life of Titty Bar Ha Ha.

Nai: We’ve been touring our current show for just over a year, so we pretty much potter about doing our own thing until early evening when we start getting hair and make up ready for the show that night. Sometimes, particularly at the beginning of a festival, we’ll have press calls to go to, and we’ll spend some time together learning new songs and working on our new show. Once we’re at the venue, we might (almost certainly) have a glass of wine while we get everything as ready as we can. The turn-around between acts can be pretty tight, especially if someone’s running over, so we try to get as much as we possibly can ready (props, costume, etc) so we can get straight in and ready to go in as little time as possible. Once the show’s over, there might be another glass of wine…

Boo: Up at 7am with my little girl Grace AKA The Moog. Tea. Eggs. Peppa Pig on sofa trying not to cry that its so early. Tea kicks in. Husband takes The Moog out for adventures, I have a shower, check emails, answer emails (and do online interviews, Skypes, etc) Facebook, twitter, news, yoga. We all have lunch together somewhere (if we are on tour we live in cafes – we are hoping the Moog will become a food critic. All of us have a snooze, if husband and I are both gigging we bath Grace, wait until the babysitter arrives and then go to our separate gigs. Face on, set props, mic test, show, wine. One of us will usually head straight home and lets the other one dance, or we’ll meet up for some dodgy food and a debrief before heading home together. Often we will both then be online for an hour sorting out work emails that have just come in from the UK. It’s not very rock n’ roll really is it? We just follow that pattern, changing states or countries each month.

Any news or final comments?

Nai: We are working on the next instalment of Titty Bar Ha Ha, which premieres at Edinburgh Festival Fringe this summer, so we’ll be previewing pretty much as soon as we get back to the UK at the end of May.  We’ll then be bringing it to Australia for the festival circuit fro next January. Can’t wait!

Boo: This is the last run of the original Titty Bar Ha Ha show. We start working on our previews for Titty 2: Hard Time next month, which we will be premiering in Edinburgh this August. What else??? Australia: you are the best audiences! We have been living across you since January and it has been sweet! Great people, great food, great shows, great times! But then…you guys know that already right? Ok…final comment. Insider tip: if you come to the show, say ‘Hope & Gloria’ on the door for 2-4-1 tickets. Ssshhhh…our secret!

Titty Bar Ha Ha play the Harold Park Hotel, cnr Ross & Wigram Streets Glebe, this Friday & Saturday May 9 & 10 (2014).

© Danny Canak

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