Emma Ross has been entertaining people for over two decades with various styles of comedy such as stand-up, sketch, plays, and improv at venues including State Theatre Centre of WA, Tivoli Theatre, and Comedy Lounge.
As a person with disabilities, she enjoys connecting with different communities at a local level. She has a Diploma of Auslan and many years under her belt as a host and producer for Vision Australia Radio, where we met.
Whenever I see Emma around the radio station, I’m struck by her bold sense of style. She might be sporting green boots, a silver cap, pink pants, holographic nail polish, or a combination of these – in complete contravention of the colour wheel. And it totally slaps.
In her day-to-day I’ve experienced Emma as someone with a quiet strength, who cares and thinks deeply, an acute observer of those around her. The Emma I’ve witnessed on stage can turn those observations into comedy. She’s bold, charming, and a little unhinged. It’s a lot of fun.
Emma’s first foray into performing came at the tender age of eight, with a children’s theatre company. “I was very shy in other aspects of my life but on stage I was always comfortable.” She had great examples in her family: grandad, a long-time member of the local Melville Theatre Company, and aunt, a WAAPA graduate and Helpmann Award nominee. “Learning the appreciation of arts at every level has kept me inspired and supportive of others.”
Emma auditioned for The Big HOO-HAA! in 2021 and was one of 12 people chosen that year. “I feel very lucky to laugh with them every week.” In The Big HOO-HAA!, two teams create hilarity and a lot of havoc, battling it out for the audience’s laughter as they race one another to the punch line, in the hope of winning the coveted HOO-HAA! trophy. In the style of Whose Line Is It Anyway? and Thank God You’re Here, the show began in Perth in 2002, and now has multiple chapters around the country.
This FRINGE WORLD, Emma will be performing in The Little HOO-HAA!.
Emma, I saw your one-woman show last year and you’re very funny. What inspires your comedy?
Thank you, the audience was wonderfully receptive at that solo improv show! When I write scripted comedy it’s usually observational humour. Improv inspiration is far more varied; I’ve created improv with Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, mucked around with the format of detective shows like Law & Order, and taken a leaf out of the Creature Comforts playbook.
Who are your comedy greats?
George Carlin, Buster Keaton, Tig Notaro, Adam Hills, Conan O’Brien.
Aside from performing, how else do you spend your time?
I enjoy volunteer work. Last year I began ushering at Spare Parts Puppet Theatre and have been with Vision Australia Radio for nearly nine years. I currently read for their AFL-related program, and as an avid football fan, I’ve played a couple of Blind AFL seasons too. I also occasionally paint abstract art.
As a performer who has low vision, is there anything you and your fellow performers need to consider prior to a performance?
Yes, with a degenerative condition, I’m currently in one of those periods of my eyesight worsening. Stage lights are very bright, and I must now wear a hat and sometimes even sunglasses while performing. Eye contact is really important for performers to connect with each other, not just emotionally but also to make subtle indications of intent – without it, I have to use stronger dialogue and body language. It’s pretty easy though, all the people I perform with are accommodating to my needs.
How on earth do you prep for a show that’s based solely on improv?
Spoiler alert! The majority of improv shows have a set format/structure and then the content is the thing which is improvised. No, that’s not cheating 😉 HOO-HAA! shows have a structure that involves team games, all-in games, and musical numbers. One important improv ability is making other people look good, so we rehearse as a large ensemble to learn each other’s strengths. The content varies depending on the numerous team combinations, but the quality is always consistent because we’re all playing for each other.
Tell us what FRINGE WORLD show/s you’re most excited about (aside from your own), and why.
I’m a fan of the original Die Hard film and this Fringe seems to have caught the same action fever. Perish with Great Difficulty is a regency romp with an action twist and SPYHARD is an espionage adventure with acrobatics.
You’re on stage and someone hands you a squishy banana and a pair of nail clippers. What do you do?
I squish the banana completely in my hands and then rub it on my face while giving a character monologue about my beauty regime. As the monologue continues, I reveal the painstaking lengths I go to to save money while using the nail clippers on my leg hair.
GEMMA SIDNEY
The Big HOO-HAA! is playing from 4-8 February at STCWA as part of State of Play; click here to book tickets. Plus there will be one-off shows in Rockingham (2 Feb) and Kalamunda (9 Feb).
The Little HOO-HAA! gives big laughs to little people. It’s playing from 22 January to 2 February at STCWA as Part of State of Play; click here to book.
