Comedian Cal Wilson is sick of being nice. In her new show, she is going to say all the things she wouldn’t normally dream of saying. Just prior to bringing her new show Things I’ve Never Said, to the Garden of Unearthly Delights, Cal took some time to chat to us…and was surprisingly pleasant…!!
Although almost a piece of furniture on Australian television, Wilson originally hails from Christchurch, where she got her start doing Theatre Sports in high school. Taking a shine to this kind of madness, she went on to do corporate impro, through which, she says a few performers were encouraged to do stand-up. She puts some of her early success down to being in the right place, at the right time.
Well, she chuckles, because there was no stand-up in Christchurch at the time, nobody knew how bad we were!
Despite a legendary career on television, Wilson continues to work stand-up: the hardest of gigs.
I just love playing with a room full of people, she says And I love having a room united and laughing at the same thing…it’s so joyful. It’s like when you’re telling a joke at a party and you’ve got people around you all laughing. It’s like that, but times a thousand! It’s a bit addictive, I think.
Having just spent the last year working predominantly as a writer on The Weekly With Charlie Pickering, Wilson is bringing Adelaide her new show. So what can we expect from this intriguingly-titled show?
This is based on the idea that I hate offending people and I can’t stand conflict. So I’m sharing some stories about things that have happened because of that…like accidentally getting engaged. That sort of thing. Wilson laughs. I made a joke to a boyfriend like “oooo marry me”…and he took it seriously! I’ve been having a ball trying out material, and challenging myself to not be such a people-pleaser and really say how I feel about things. I’m really excited about the show.
And once she’s finished offending everyone, what’s next for Cal Wilson?
Well, I’m writing a book which comes out in December, I’m taking the show on the road to other cities, and hopefully taping another series of the Australian version of Whose Line is it Anyway? After that, I might take a breather!
We’re awfully glad she can jam Adelaide into her manic schedule, and no doubt the show will be, despite its premise, a huge people-pleaser.
Interviewed by Tracey Korsten
Twitter: @TraceyKorsten
Things I Never Said plays at Studio 7, Garden of Unearthly Delights, nightly at 7.15 from February 26th to March 5th. Prices $24.00 to $35.00
Tickets available from: https://www.adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/cal-wilson-things-i-ve-never-said
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