Local lady Michelle Brasier took the time out to answer a few of our pressing queries ahead of her upcoming Melbourne Comedy Festival debut.

Your debuting Space Tortoise solo at Melbourne International Comedy Festival this week, what can the audience expect in 5 words or less?
Kisses, power ballads, beer pong.

Tell us the story by behind the show title ‘Space Tortoise’?
I wrote the show when I was working in retail to save money for Edinburgh Fringe. It was originally about always needing to pee and trying to get to the front of the store to close the door and put up the back in five minute sign and then a customer always walking in last minute. I thought one day fuck lucky i’m not a tortoise and then it was born.  It was supposed to be a children’s book about a retail tortoise who wants to go to space but it turns out i’m far too rude for that. It was a show I wrote pretty fresh from losing my dad and during it’s Edinburgh season I lost my brother. It’s about loss but it’s also about love and I guess just getting on with it and finding warmth in nice little things. Also wanting to be an astronaut when really you’re just a shop tortoise.

Space Tortoise is also your solo debut outside of your other project Backwards Anorak, why did you decide to go solo?
I think I just needed to prove to myself that I could do it. I love Backwards Anorak and I love doing music theatre and all the other work I do but I was terrified of the idea of getting up there alone with no safety net. So I did it. Gilded Balloon in Edinburgh offered me an amazing opportunity to create something so I took it.  I think you should do the things that scare you. Except swimming in the deep ocean. Fuck that.

Space Tortoise is about working in retail, what past retails jobs have you worked in?
I worked at Cue which was mostly choosing fancy things for fancy people. Dotti on Swanston Street which was mostly strange smelling fabrics. I also managed the Matt Irwin Gallery for a while and that was actually great. He’s a good time and his work is fun to sell. OH! And I worked in a pancake shop for 45 minutes. The pancake shifting biz is not for me.

Space Tortoise will be joined by Shanon D. Whitelock on stage, tell us a bit about Shanon and what he’ll be doing with Space Tortoise?
Shanon is way better than me which is super exciting. He’s a hugely talented musician and composer and musical director and also dresses well. He is sassy and clever and genuine and people will probably watch him playing his keytar the whole time.

Favourite space themed movie/s?
Space Jam.

Rumor has it you’re a triple threat being a singer, actor and writer, is this a prerequisite to attend VCA and Ballarat Arts Academy?
Ha! Well look kind of. Having studied there the third skill should really be dancing..but it’s probably my fourth or seventh skill. Dance is my seventh instrument. I’m just lucky I can sing pretty loud so people don’t know if it’s good or bad they just assume it’s good and then look past the dancing.


What other shows are you looking forward to seeing at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival?
Aunty Donna, Tessa Waters, Stuart Bowden, Stuart Daulman, Demi Lardner, Ro Hutson, Neal Portenza, Lisa Skye, Lauren Bok, Gill Cosgriff, Penny Greenhalgh, Nick Cody, Blake Freeman & Murphy McLachlan, Geraldine Quinn, Fleety, Anne Edmonds, Geraldine Hickey, No Show, Juan Two, Butt Kapinski, Damian Callinan.. oh shit I have heaps to see guys..

What are your top tips on ‘How to kiss and have boyfriends’?
If the person you want to kiss doesn’t know you, politely introduce yourself with a moist hand shake then pull them in a little too close and do a little spin. They’ll be begging for more.

Melbourne Town Hall,
Corner of Swanston St & Collins St
Thursday 24 March – Sunday 17 April
6pm Tue-Sat, 5pm Sun
$18 – $24
Tickets here