Peter Barr, RTRfm’s former breakfast host has ten years of being on air behind him, and he’s now ready to take on a new form of performance. He’s one of seven brave music industry professionals leaving the studio behind and attempting stand up comedy for the first time at Perth Comedy’s Festival’s ‘Comedy Virgins’.
Barr caught up with Sophie Joske and shared his initial reaction to being offered the gig. “I didn’t say yes immediately because the thought does terrify me. But I took about as long to think about it as the gig will be, for each person doing it and it didn’t seem that long, lying on my bed staring at my phone. But I think it’s going to seem a lot longer onstage than doing it.”
Each fledgling comedian will be given five minutes to live or die by the mic. Barr said he’s hoping his experience making wisecracks on breakfast radio will serve him well. “. I’m not a stand up comedian by any stretch of the imagination but when I was on air doing breakfast there was a funny show sometimes, so that probably puts me in a slightly different category to some of the others, they’re just straight up musos, for example. We know they’re not funny pricks.” He laughed.
Barr will be joined by a number of colleagues and friends taking to the stage, including producer Diger Rokwell, DJ Craig Hollywood, Capital City’s Sam Scherr, The Sleepy Jackson drummer Malcom Clark, band manager Jacob Snell and musician Randa Khamis. Barr said he considers himself in good company. “I just want a fun night out. I do want to stretch myself, have a go at something I’ve never done before, I like all the people that are on the bill as well. They’re all friends in different ways. I reckon I’ve interviewed each and every one of them on my program over the years, at some point or another, about different things.
“It’s also good that these people are all so into it, and keen to do it. It’s good that people are also happy to go on and do something mad that they don’t normally do.”
‘Comedy Virgins’ is at the Mount Lawley Bowls Club on May 6th as part of the Perth International Comedy Festival. Tickets available at www.perthcomedyfestival.com
Sophie Joske
Yes I want to see this gig at Mt Lawley! Comedy Virgins