Life’s full of laugh for the stars of the comedy circuit but it all has to start somewhere. Comedian and writer Kate McLennan reveals her hometown inspirations to GC’s CHERIE DONNELLAN.
AS a year 11 student at Belmont High School, Kate McLennan dragged best friend Sally with her to a Barwon Theatre Company acting class.
Sally sidestepped the limelight but Kate answered the call of the arts.
In awe of theatre teacher Caroline Morris, who by day taught drama at Christian College, Kate set her sights on entering VCE drama classes.
Without drama available at Belmont High, Kate enrolled at Christian College, just a taxi fare or dad-drive away.
Her talent earned her a place in performing arts at University of Ballarat, setting Kate on the road to becoming a “serious actor”.
But she was continually cast in comic roles – a career plot twist for which she’s now grateful.
“It took someone else to tell me I was good at comedy for me to get it,” Kate recalls.
Roles in sketch and solo shows followed, with Kate utilising her drama skills to hone comedy characters.
She debuted as a professional comedy actress with multiple roles in The Debutante Diaries, her 2006 story about angst-ridden teenagers preparing for their deb.
The show was a hit at Melbourne Fringe festival, winning Best Comedy and earning Kate a Best Newcomer award.
Despite the success, she initially worried the festival debut would become her career swansong.
“The show had all these sad bits in it and I thought, ‘This is a drama, not comedy’. I asked to change it from the comedy section to theatre but couldn’t … and on opening night I was expecting to be doing this serious show about teenage angst and the politics of debutante balls but the audience was laughing.
“Lucky I didn’t change it. There was the sense that I was so new that I had no idea the show was even funny.”
See the current edition of GC Magazine for more.
