“I just got back from the gym, I’m in my millionth attempt to get in shape. I mean, I am in shape, but unfortunately it’s the shape of a pear,” Arj Barker jokes.
Californian native and all-round charmer Arj Barker, is currently residing in Melbourne and I think I can speak for all the ladies when I say, a pear is still a tasty fruit.
“I’m living in Melbourne currently, then on tour on the weekends, so I’m using it as a base – I don’t really live anywhere permanently,” Arj says.
Having just launched his new show, Get In My Head, with stints at the Adelaide Fringe and Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Arj is excited to be hitting the road and getting out of the major cities.
“The shows went superbly! Is that a word? They were superbable! It’s such a good way to start off a new tour; you really get it hammered in when you’re doing it six nights a week,” he says.
So what is in his head exactly? “Well there’s a lot of room in there still – unfortunately. The show is just really fun. It’s on a variety of subjects – like all my shows have been – just pretty hilarious. Can I say that?” he chuckles.
Arj considers himself a big fan of regional Victoria and will put on shows in Warrnambool and Ballarat this time and has hinted to me that he would also like to return to Geelong at some point.
“I’m looking forward to getting out of the city, I know it’s a great crowd out there,” he says.
“I have such a nice time in those towns. One of my favourite things to do in Warrnambool is to go to Tower Hill Reserve – we like to go see the emus and koalas in the woods [he means bush] there. In Ballarat I stayed in the Mark Twain suite last time, it was pretty cool. I slept in the same suite as Mark Twain, well not at the same time, that would be awkward!”
If you were lucky enough to see Arj at Falls those couple of times a few festivals ago, you would agree in saying the Grand Theatre Stage has been so jam-packed, well, especially while the sun was still up. He is keen to do another soon and urges the festival to get in contact.
“Falls is one of those really good festivals to do, it’s really well run and there’s this intimacy to it – unlike those big giant corporate festivals. I really like it, I hope to do it again! If the Falls guys are readers, yeah make an offer please!”
With his performance as Dave in Flight Of The Concords as well as his animated series Arj and Poopy, the world has been awaiting his return to the silver screen and rest assured that day is coming.
“I’m writing a new TV program at the moment, with a good friend and hilarious comedian. We’re still working on it and not ready to announce much about it publicly just yet. It’s going to be a sitcom of sorts, similar to the style of Curb Your Enthusiasm I guess, but of course very different, because everyone has got to do something different these days,” Arj says.
Watch this space!
When & Where: Her Majesty’s Theatre, Ballarat – July 3 & Lighthouse Theatre, Warrnambool – July 4
Written by Abbey King, Photo by James Penlidis