Local girl Celia Paquola is just one of the four residents of the Yarra Valley performing at the Melbourne Comedy Festival in March.By Melissa Meehan
THERE must be something in the water.
The Yarra Valley looks to be producing a bevy of comedians if this year’s Melbourne Comedy Festival is anything to go by.
Four past and present residents will perform at this year’s Comedy Festival including Christmas Hills’ Celia Paquola, Gladysdale’s Michael Connell, Coldstream’s Halley Metcalfe and Seville’s Alison Bice.
Paquola says that her comedy career has gone from strength to strength since trying her luck in a stand-up competition two years ago.
“I never would have tried stand-up unless it was in a competition environment, so raw comedy seemed like the perfect opportunity to give it a go” she said.
Paquola said she had previously been interested in theatre but said her success at the competition gave her a taste of what she could achieve.
“My fifth stand-up performance, ever, was at Melbourne Town Hall in front of 1500 people, and I thought to myself, I’d like to keep doing this,” she said.
This year, Paquola will join fellow Yarra Valley resident Alison Bice in a comedy show titled ‘Celia Paquola in Hating Alison Bice’.
“It’s a show directed by Joe Murphy that defines war, treachery and revenge,” Paquola said.
The show illustrates a friendship between two young girls that turns sour.
Paquola said that performing at last year’s Comedy Festival was a “real learning curve,” and said she looked forward to performing this year, but like all other comedians was “terrified”.
“Alison and I are doing something pretty different this year, something neither of us have seen before at a comedy festival,” Paquola said.
“I’m not sure whether there is a reason for that? But we’re hoping it all works out.”
Paquola said she hoped to travel the world with standup gigs in the future, but for the mean time was looking forward to pursuing her radio career on Fox FM.
