Discover the mystery within Jazz or a Bucket of Blood!
Join us as we delve into the delightfully unconventional world of Jazz or a Bucket of Blood in an exclusive interview with its creators, Ange Lavoipierre and Jane Watt. This absurd piece of comedic theatre defies being categorised as it blends elements of comedy, mystery, and music into a 57-minute escapade that leaves audiences in stitches. Trust us, we've seen it!
Ange and Jane, childhood friends with a dynamic reminiscent of iconic duos like "Pinky and the Brain," shed light on the inspiration behind their show and the quirky interactions they've had with their audience. Having taken the show to Edinburgh, Sydney, and soon, Melbourne, they share insights into how the show resonates with different audiences and hint at their exciting future endeavors.
Join us on this comedic journey as Ange and Jane unveil the mysteries and magic behind Jazz or a Bucket of Blood, offering a glimpse into the beauty of Bunnings, the mystery of the bucket of blood and some of the best absurdist comedy you'll see at the Fringe.
Tell us about the inspiration behind Jazz or a Bucket of Blood. How did the concept for the show come about, and what can audiences expect?
Ange: I liked the idea of a show that never really began, but instead was a contest between two wildly disparate things. What came out was a blend between a two person talent quest, a spelling bee with no words, and a dramatisation of my friendship with Jane, all performed in small grey schoolboys uniforms.
Jane: We had previously developed a webseries that was essentially based on these absurd, heightened versions of ourselves. It’s a Pinky and the Brain dynamic, or Catdog where these two weirdos have very different ways of navigating the world and the only way they can really manage is by having each other. So I guess we’re also adorable.
Jazz or a Bucket of Blood seems to blend comedy, mystery, and music. How do these elements come together in the show, and what do you hope they add to the audience's experience?
Ange: Most of the music is Billy Joel’s Piano Man. Most of the mystery is where the blood came from. And an alarmingly high proportion of the comedy is piss-based. I really hope it all adds up to a 57-minute escape for audiences from everything that matters, and a sense that we’re ready for our own TV series.
Jane: Spoiler alert, please don’t come for the jazz! We had a man from Denmark come along to our first show in Edinburgh because he was a big fan of both jazz and blood and was quick to point out there was a distinct lack of both. Fortunately he still enjoyed the show and we told him what we made the blood out of.
Comedy often involves improvisation and interacting with the audience. Can you share a memorable or funny interaction you've had with an audience member during one of your performances?
Ange: Last night in Sydney, during a part of the show where we’re trying to get audiences to put their spare change in piggy banks, someone gave us their credit card. I was very impressed with that level of trust and commitment.
Jane: One time during that same piggy bank song someone gave me half a bowl of macaroni. We were obviously thrilled because we’re broke and how yum is macaroni but we did promptly give it back post-song. People have given us painkillers, lip balm, a condom, and actual money! It’s my favourite thing seeing what people are willing to part with for a bit. Also, don’t worry we give it all back post show.
Jazz Or A Bucket Of Blood has been performed recently in Edinburgh and now in both Sydney and Melbourne. How do the audiences and vibes differ between these cities, and how does that affect your performances?
Ange: Initially we thought it might be hard to communicate to an Edinburgh audience the emotional significance of Bunnings to Australians, but they picked it up very quickly. Bunnings comes up a lot in the show.
Jane: Fortunately this show is so universally dumb that there is no major cultural context required to understand it. We did rake through the script for any particular Australianisms like “pants” which means underwear in the UK. And we thought long and hard about the Bunnings bit and whether we needed to sub in a UK store to make it translate. In the end we decided there was no equivalent we could authentically play and that actually at the end of the day, teaching them about Australia’s adoration for a particular hardware franchise felt like our own little cultural offering. And of course any and every Australian in the crowd FROTHED it.
Do you have any future plans or projects that you'd like to share with your fans or potential new audiences?
Ange: People should subscribe to Impostors on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@impostors2810) and Instagram (@weareimpostors) because there are two very nice seasons of our web series there already and we’re making more soon, we promise.
Jane: What Ange said. We want to work more on screen stuff next year and then hopefully develop a live show for 2025 because who doesn’t need more jazz and/or buckets of blood?
You can read Theatre Thoughts' full review of Jazz or a Bucket of Blood at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival HERE.
Ange and Jane are bringing Jazz or a Bucket of Blood to the Melbourne Fringe Festival from the 4th - 8th October. Book your tickets below.
%20(1).png)
Comments