Trygve Wakenshaw Back for Mime Fun in Perth

After a year away from Perth’s Fringe World Festival, New Zealand comedian Trygve Wakenshaw returned to Western Australia, performing the highly-anticipated third work in his “underwater trilogy”, Nautilus. Wakenshaw also performs his collaboration with Barnie Duncan, Different Party, on at Burt Memorial Hall in Perth until 11 February.

Dubbed Wakenshaw’s most daring work yet, Nautilus takes more of a narrative form than his previous show, Kraken.

“It was my vegan message show, so there is a little storyline about this bad man that keeps wanting things from animals and the animals get their revenge in silly little situations,” Wakenshaw says.

Trained at legendary clowning school École Philippe Gaulier, Wakenshaw originally got into mime when he realised he didn’t have a knack for writing jokes, but he was gifted in moving his body in amusing ways.

It’s also not just down to the physical aspect. Wakenshaw says to be successful in the craft, one must give themselves over to a “playful fantasy world”.

“Some people are very good at imagining they are in a land full of dragons and mysterious teapots,” he says.

Duncan is best known for his role in American television series Power Rangers Space Patrol Delta. He played Dane Harris in Outrageous Fortune.

Original article by Jessie Papain, The West Australian, January 31, 2017.