Shaun Micallef

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Shaun Micallef – Author Interview
November 8, 2010
auslit.net

For those unfamiliar with your novel Preincarnate, how would you describe it?
It’s a time-travel murder mystery. Not so much a ‘who-dunnit’ as a ‘why-dunnit’. And because time travel is involved, our hero also gets a chance to prevent his own murder – so, potentially, it’s a ‘no-one-dunnit’.

You have written, “I think the thing that appealed to me most about the premise to Preincarnate was not so much being reborn in an earlier body, but being able to prevent your own death.” Could you give us an overview of the process you went through writing Preincarnate?
It was a long process of plotting the story (2 years) and then creating the characters to inhabit it (1 year). Then came the fun part of actually writing it (2 more years) and then the un-fun part of re-writing (18 months) and the re-shuffling of the chapters to tell the story in a way that complemented the idea of popping forwards and backwards in time (6 months). Then the pleasure of signing off on the illustrations and design.

In your interviews on Preincarnate, you have mentioned Puckoon by Spike Milligan as a major literary influence for you. What is it that makes Puckoon stand out?
I think, in retrospect, it is the strong narrative voice of Milligan. I like the way his characters argue with him.

What were the most significant differences writing a novel as opposed to writing a comedy sketch, or did you find it much the same but longer?
Yes, longer – but also, I think it’s a different set of muscles. I have been saying that I’m used to sprints and the book was more like a marathon, but I think it’s more different than that: I think writing sketches is like jogging for a bus and that writing a book is a like swimming the Channel.

You have played a range of funny characters, from Milo Kerrigan to Nobby Doldrums, David McGahan, Roger Explosion, a version of yourself on The Micallef P(r)ogram(me), Quentin Welcher, and more. Who do you consider to be one of the funniest characters in written fiction and what makes this character so hilarious to you?
I’m torn. It has to be a contest between Ignatius Reilly in Confederacy of Dunces and Mr Pooter in Diary of a Nobody. Both are funny to me because of their self-delusion. To me, that is always funny. And I guess all the characters I’ve played in my own work tend to severely over estimate their charm, sense of humour and ability. Maybe this is true of all good comedy characters.

What do you consider to be most important to great comedy writing?
I think a strong narrative voice. The attitude of the person telling the story needs to be very clear – even if he or she isn’t editorialising.

Which other Australian comedian or celebrity would you most like to see try their hand at written fiction and why?
I’d like to read some fiction by Tony Martin. His two volumes of memoirs are beautifully written and very funny.

Do you read much Australian fiction, and do you have some favourites?
You know, apart from Colin Thiele’s February Dragon in Grade 5, I don’t think I’ve read ANY Australian fiction.

You have said that you do not intend to write another novel, but do you think you will do any more written fiction, such as short stories?
Oh yes, I love writing. I’d like to write much more. I probably will do another book one day but I expect it’ll be in a very different style to Preincarnate.

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Micallef promises a good evening
24/Nov/2010
Sara Fitzpatrick
inmycommunity.com.au

THE delightfully offbeat Shaun Micallef – best known as host of game show Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Generation and fictional boxing champ Milo Kerrigan from classic 90s TV series Full Frontal – is surprisingly serious when it comes to interview time. Well spoken and mild-mannered, the former solicitor-turned-comedian obviously saves his wackiness for the camera.

This month, he takes his signature slapstick to the stage with the Good Evening Perth show, based on the skits of British satirists Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. Community chatted with the silver-haired entertainer about resurrecting the duo’s timeless jesting with fellow funnyman Stephen Curry (The Castle).

“I found their comedy really funny when I was young, and now being older, I can admire the performance and writing as two separate things,” Micallef said. “The writing appealed to me enough to dare to actually start performing it myself. I wanted to get on stage in front of an audience without the worry of having to write a show myself,so I thought I’ll do the best possible sketch material I can find.”

Hailed as comic geniuses, Cook and Moore inspired classic greats such as the Monty Python group. Micallef said that despite their material being 40 to 50 years old, the humour remained hilarious and relevant today. “I was about 14 when I first listened to them on the old vinyl LPs, so I heard it before I saw it. I was one of those nerds who just loved comedy. They were the top of the heap with Peter Sellers and Python,” he said. “The only way you can experience it now is on audio, and this show is an opportunity for people to actually see it in front of an audience.”

Micallef said he asked Curry to join the act after seeing him play the late Aussie TV legend Graham Kennedy in the 2007 film The King. “I could tell by the way he played Kennedy that he was able to capture the comic spirit of somebody, and that’s a very rare ability. I’m pressed to think of another actor who can actually do it,” he said. “I sort of play the Cook roles and he plays the Moore roles. He’s shorter and warmer than me and I’m a bit cool and flinty, so that works nicely. This show was actually done by Cook and Moore when they toured Australia with Good Evening back in 1972 and their last performance was in Perth. Stephen and I are tracing their steps.”

Micallef cites Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie and Steve Carell among his favourite funnymen. Aussie heroes include Barry Humphries and Garry McDonald.