Award-winning comedian Damian Callinan is bringing his show Town Folk to The Q on Saturday night.
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The show has taken Mr Callinan all around regional Australia to discover the hidden treasures small towns have to offer and to poke a bit of fun at them in the process.
Queanbeyan has played host to Mr Callinan and his crew, including award-winning filmmaker John Cherry, for the past week as they’ve captured footage and gathered stories to create the one-off show.
The show, which Mr Callinan describes as “ordered but unscripted”, will include stand-up, photograph slide shows and video clips all created in the past week. Queanbeyan is the last stop for the project, “we’re going out with a Q-bang” Mr Callinan said.
“I’ve really liked Queanbeyan from the beginning because as soon as I started talking to people they were so fiercely independent, defensive but proud.”
“It’s not just a border town, there’s such a different identity.”
“For instance, in Albury-Wodonga people might just make a mistake about which side of the border it is. Here it’s like people are trying to take the identity of Queanbeyan away, like it’s just part of Canberra.”
But while he said he’s impressed with people’s loyalty to the town a big part of the show will involve him testing it.
One of the highlights, particularly considering recent political developments, is the Queanbeyan versus Palerang compare and contrast.
“There’s definitely a ‘we’re better’ feeling and everything’s a competition, but that’s what town pride is,” Mr Callinan said.
“Because if you ask Canberra people I’m assuming they aren’t going, ‘well Woden’s one thing but here in Barton we like to think our bins are just a little bit wider.”
Mr Callinan said the people of Queanbeyan had been very welcoming and more than happy to be involved with filming skits. Giving the everyday person their time in the sun and celebrating what it means to live in a rural town are some of the rewarding aspects for Mr Callinan.
Town Folk will take place at The Q on Saturday, August 19 at 7.30pm and tickets are available on the website.