Austen Tayshus is on his way up north and he wants you to know it!
But what he really wants you to know is that in 1998 he won the world’s largest short-film festival, well, that’s part of what he wants you to know. What he really, actually REALLY wants you to know, is that he has made another film for the same festival and the deadline is in 15 days!
Tell me about the film festival ?
‘Well, I’ve just made another film for Tropfest. Did you know that I made a film for Tropfest in ’98 and I won? Did you know that?
I know about Tropfest. I didn’t know that you won one. What was the signature item this year?
It’s an hourglass. I’ve made a prop. I won in ’98 (the signature item was ‘a kiss’ which he blew to a certain Ms Hanson) – I wrote it, and it was about a Jewish guy, a Jewish comedian, getting into a taxi with a German who was a Nazi. I was pretending to be a Nazi and then turning into an Israeli secret service agent – I won the top prize, and I won best actor. Then we also entered it in the name of a feminist filmmaker who didn’t exist called Laura Feinstein.
John Polson (festival founder) went crazy and said, ‘you know, it’s the first time it’s ever been won by a woman’. And then we got up and said it, ‘you know, there’s no Laura Feinstein’. So, he got very shitty…
But anyway, this one’s about me saying that winning Tropfest was the worst thing. I’ve written the whole thing – we got me in prison – it’s about how my whole life went crazy.
I don’t think John Polson is going to let it through because it’s actually pretty funny, but I don’t think it’ll get through because it’s sort of taking the piss out of Tropfest – I’m playing Laura Feinstein (the fictitious feminist filmmaker) with the wig and all this stuff. I’m saying the worst thing that ever happened in my life was winning Tropfest.
It would be a great film to go into the festival, this would be very funny. But obviously, all these people are very straight…
Austen, you are a Jew living in Sydney – how do find the strength, in these times, to be funny?
Because I love it so much. I really enjoy it, and it’s good for me. It’s a diversion from getting older. I mean, I’m nearly 72 and, you know, getting into my underwear is not too easy anymore.
It’s good to get on the road. You know, most of time I’m in my house, but the last two days I flew to Perth, I did a show – I flew to Launceston, I did a show, I flew back to Sydney, and so that was my weekend.
Aren’t you ‘too old’ to be flying around everywhere like that?
Well I probably am. But what else am I gonna do exactly? I enjoy it. It keeps me buoyant and fluent.
Do you have a time where you think, ‘Okay, I’m going to have six weeks off and write new material? Or do you just ad lib the whole way along?
I ad lib. I’ve never written material. I write it when I’m on the stage. I come up with ideas, and then I build on a particular notion, and turn it into whatever.
You can get ad libbed at by Austen Tayshus on Friday, 2 January, at the Lennox Head Hotel, and if you’re down that way, the Lennox Head Hotel is giving away three double passes.
Simply email: [email protected] by 5pm Friday, 26 December, and tell us Austen’s real name, to go into the draw.
Winners will be announced in The Echo’s Saturday’s entertainment newsletter.
He can get at you again on Sunday, 4 January, at Club Iluka.
Fore more info, visit: austentayshus.com.
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