Interview by Olivia De Zilva
We spoke to Kevin the Vampire about his Fringe show ‘Two Sharp Teeth’ playing for the remainder of the festival at The Garden of Unearthly Delights.
Kevin has been in the comedy circuit longer than even the most seasoned comedians, with over 400 years experience making people laugh through war, famine and disaster. Of these times, he’s actually quite fond, reflecting on how comedy has been integral in his vampiric ventures across the globe.
“I remember in the sixth year of the seven year war we were thinking, is this ever going to end…? and as we’d sit round a campfire at night I’d tell everyone stories about a promiscuous crab, about my Nana’s proclivity for comparing things to sliced bread… and then we’d charge headfirst into a little murder and mayhem, but oh how we laughed.”
On the dozens upon dozens of iterations of vampires throughout the years, Kevin is rather oblivious. Commenting that he thought “Twilight was a Mills & Boons series”, Kevin is surprisingly unaware of the pop-cultural phenomenon vampirism has inspired. To Kevin, being a vampire is just an everyday thing and nothing out of the ordinary.
“I am (Kevin) just an ordinary guy. I go on dates. I have a Nana. I walk dogs. I slice bread. I see the same world as you. But what detail I see, what detail I muse, might surprise some people. And it’s good to be surprised. Like that time my cousin made me eat garlic and I nearly died (again) … hilarious!”
When he started comedy as a child, he found his true calling in theatrics and make-believe, saying:
“I would wear my Papas clothes and through a haze of moth balls I’d do shows for my Nana… because their was no tv, there was no radio, and we’d eaten all the rats”
Enjoying the crisp Fringe weather, Kevin is in his element, providing a service in comedy and hanging with bats in botanical park on his off days.
“Adelaide is an ancient city with old world charm. The Fringe is a beautiful monster with a belly full of artists that ant-like crawl to mouth for air”
And what should audiences expect from this year’s show?
“Wisdoms. Wittisisms. Wonder. And alliteration.”
Two Sharp Teeth plays at the Spare Room at the Garden of Unearthly Delights till the 17th of March.
On Dit 