Julia Morris – Lift And Seperate Golden Jubilee Tour
“It’s an odyssey of hilarity that even husbands are enjoying.”
And with that off-handed quip, Julia Morris succinctly describes her new show, Lift And Separate Golden Jubilee Tour.
The tour, which takes in major cities and regional towns along the eastern seaboard, will debut a new chapter in Morris’s life – one in which she has found calmness, wisdom, and self acceptance while still retaining her unabashed candour. That’s what the tour title is about.
“Well, in the past I’ve been very bothered about lifting and separating everything on me that’s heading south, and then, turning 50, I’ve decided to lift and separate myself away from the self bashing and […] away from worrying about the little things in life.”
Morris has been in the entertainment business since her teens as a singer, actor, TV host, commentator and comedian, but live stand-up is still her first love. She creates a new touring show every two years, using them to curate and analyse her progressive life experiences. Like many comedians, she garners material from observing friends and family and doesn’t shy away from the serious stuff.
“I do try and keep the whole thing quite light, but there are two stories that are quite severe that have audiences sit up and take note,” she explains. “Because that’s like life. All comedy, I think, is based in truth.”
Those serious moments, however, are sprinkled with humour; it’s the way Morris and her family have always dealt with dramas. Growing up in a small community instilled Morris with a down-to-earth, plain-talking, dinkum sensibility, and is one of the reasons she loves playing in regional towns. They prefer to hear stories about family, not politics.
“The regional audiences are just there to laugh,” says Morris.
The roughly 80 minute long show features Morris in front of a large screen on which visuals are projected to go along with her stories. There’s a bit of ad-libbing and often she’ll include anecdotes gathered during the tour. She doesn’t believe in picking on audience members, but there is a danger you may come away with a “hurty tummy” from laughing too hard.
Jun 7. Riverside Theatre, Cnr Market & Church Streets, Parramatta. $49.90-$54.90+b.f.
Jun 9. Chatswood Concourse, 409 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood. $59.90+b.f.
Tickets & Info: www.juliamorris.com
By Rita Bratovich.
