Here at Perth Arts Live, we know festival season in Perth/Boorloo (and beyond!) is hectic. There’s a lot to do, see, and plan when arts festivals overlap in such spectacular ways. To help readers make informed decisions about where to spend every moment of their free time during Fringemas just like us, we’re asking FRINGE WORLD artists to ‘take five’ from their busy schedules to answer five questions about their shows. No rest for the weary, eh?
Host/producer/chaos maker Kieran Bullock takes five with PAL to talk about IKEA WARS, an interactive comedy show where FRINGE WORLD artists battle it out against the clock to build a piece of IKEA furniture on stage. Presented by Social Club Productions and State of Play, you can see the chaos unfold at the State Theatre Centre from 30 Jan – 2 Feb. About IKEA WARS:
“Two people trying to build a piece of IKEA furniture against the clock, and each other. But if you think it’s going to be a straight race, think again. There will be added challenges, forfeits, and hurdles aplenty, but at the end of each night one contestant will reign supreme as the champion of Sweden*!
*title not officially recognised by the Swedish government.”
Q1 What inspired the show, and what motivated you to bring it to FRINGE WORLD?
That could be quite a long answer. The original version of the show was called Kieran Bullock Builds IKEA Furniture On Stage And Talks To The Audience, which itself was inspired by the time I bought a replacement toilet seat from IKEA on the way to a standup comedy night, and instead of doing my prepared material I tried, in vain, to build the toilet seat on stage. The thought occurred to me, “What if, instead of five minutes and a toilet seat or was an hour and a bookcase?” The show was born. One night my housemate suggested a race, where a second person raced me to build an identical flatpack. It was a roaring success, and I knew a battle/race/game show format was where the future lay.
As for Perth, I love the city and I love the festival! It’s the best possible place, as a performer, to start your year right.
Q2 What’s the most unexpected, funny, or interesting thing that has happened during the show’s development?
This one is hard because, being largely improvised, most of the show’s development takes place on the stage, and almost everything that happens during the show could classed as unpredictable. The moment that stands out to me the most of when one contestant took the opposition’s piece of furniture, ran out of the performance space and threw the furniture in a tree. I then left the performance space to film the second contestant retrieving their furniture from the tree. Pure magic!
Q3 What does the audience absolutely need to know before they come to see the show? (without spoilers, of course!)
Have you built IKEA furniture before? Of course you have. Was it infuriating? Almost certainly. What could be better than watching someone else be put through the ringer!
Q4 If you could invite any famous person (living or dead) to the show, who would it be and why?
It’s a bit left field, but I feel like Martin Clunes would really enjoy it. And I’d enjoy him being there. I think he’s be keen for a beer afterwards and I think he’s have some cracking stories to tell
Q5 What other show(s) would pair well with yours for a delicious FRINGE WORLD feast?
Given my show is filled with Fringe performers, all of their shows are of course the perfect accompaniment! Probably too many to name, but if you come to IKEA Wars there’s every chance the performers will entice you to their show. And you must go!
BONUS ROUND: In 10 words or less, give us your last ditch pitch to get folks in to see the show!
Mention this interview and I’ll give you a free allen key sticker!
