A sketch comedy show by blackfellas. For everyone.

The wait is over! The groundbreaking New characters include Uncle Doctor, Black Comedy is a fast paced, comedy series Black Comedy returns a medico whose methods are more irreverent, entertaining, thought to ABC TV. Written by and starring than just a little unconventional, the provoking - at times silly - at other times some of the funniest and most talented Thong Mum, a woman whose ability confronting, but always funny look at Indigenous performers in the country, with a boomerang thong is deadly, Australia and Australian culture through Black Comedy ‘goes blackly where no and the Beachies, a father and son the comedic prism of our first people. other blackfella has gone before’ using who spend their days sitting on a log Starring alongside our cast are special an array of talented Indigenous and on their Torres Strait Island home guests including; Deborah Mailman, non-Indigenous performers to explore staring out to sea and pondering the Leah Purcell, Matt Day, Luke Carroll, what it means to be Indigenous in imponderable. Shari Sebbens, Bjorn Stewart, Jack contemporary Australia. We also meet Ray, a recent parolee and Charles, Elaine Crombie, Bruce R Series 2 sees the return of many menacing new member of the Black Carter, Brendan Cowell, Lisa Hensley, favorites, Townsville’s favourite gays, the Comedy team, recruited as part of Anita Hegh, Robbie Magasiva, Harriet Tiddas, are back, as are the Housewives the ABC’s Bridging The Gap Program, Dyer, Andrew McFarlane, Bruce Spence, of Narromine and audience favourites we pay homage to The Godfather Chris Haywood, Graham Rouse, Maggie Blakforce – still enforcing what is and with The Elders, an epic four-part tale Dence, Costa Georgiadis and Brooke isn’t black in the community. Also of a turf war between two Matriarchs Satchwell. returning is Brooke Satchwell, reprising feuding over the rights to Melbourne’s Production Credits: her role as Tiffany, the culturally lucrative ‘Welcome to Country’ income Producers Kath Shelper confused wannabe black, white girl. stream, and we go back in time to and Mark O’Toole. Returning in key roles are Black revisit a classic ‘lost’ Australian gothic ABC Head of Indigenous Sally Riley. Comedy stalwarts Aaron Fa’Aoso, horror movies of the early 70s, the unforgettable ‘Wandaroorah’, a film For further information contact: Nakkiah Lui, Steven Oliver and Elizabeth Yasmin Kentera (03) 9524 2629 Wymarra, and they’re ably joined by about a little town that needs Aboriginals - and will go to terrifying lengths to get 0418 813 071 new core cast members Adam Briggs [email protected] and Ian Zaro. Adam and Ian bring their them. We also take Blakforce to new considerable writing and performing heights with Blakforce SCU: Special talents to bear, injecting the show with Coconut Unit – the elite group of new energy and flare. detectives charged with investigating large-scale crimes against Blackness.

“From whoa to go, Black Comedy has been rude, confronting, weird and hilarious – everything a comedy should be”. The Brisbane Times

“... an outstanding success. It’s also managed to be extremely funny... this remains a highlight of what’s been one of the best years for local comedy in yonks”. The SMH EPISODE 1 WEDNESDAY 3 FEBRUARY AT 9PM In this episode we are introduced to may be the second Selina steps out of dedicated to helping the victims of Ray, a recent parolee and the newest line she can expect to feel the wrath of traditional curses. We also meet an member of the Black Comedy writing her mother’s boomerang-like thong. Aboriginal psychic and visit a Hardware and performing team, recruited as part We’re introduced to the Beachies, a shop that offers customers the ultimate of the ABC’s Bridging The Gap Program. father and son from the Torres Strait in-store service, your own personal Unfortunately Ray’s enthusiasm for his who spend their days sitting on a log, Aboriginal blacktracker to help you locate new job doesn’t quite extend to his new staring out to sea, pondering life’s those especially hard to find items - but colleagues – and things start to get a imponderables. as one poor tradie finds out, it’s always little awkward around the office, until We revisit Townsville’s most beloved best to make sure you tip your tracker. an incident with a brick sees Ray back gay men, the Tiddas, the boys from Featuring guest appearances by behind bars. Blakforce tackle a white noise complaint, Deborah Mailman, Jack Charles, We meet the Thong Mum and her the Housewives of Narromine make a Matt Day, Luke Carroll and daughter Selina. No matter where she welcome return and we visit Blackfella Costa Georgiadis Superstitious Solutions, a business EPISODE 2 WEDNESDAY 10 FEBRUARY AT 9PM This episode sees the return of Jessie, to pose like ‘proper’ Aboriginals. of a turf war between two Matriarchs the long suffering receptionist from Meanwhile Blakforce are called to a feuding over the rights to Melbourne’s the Black On Track employment barbecue to try and deal with a serial lucrative ‘Welcome to Country’ income agency, takes us behind closed doors undercooker, there’s also an ad for an stream and a Blakforce favourite at a conference at which Aboriginal enticing new adult phone service ‘Boys announces that he has been selected representatives from each state and Gone Wild’, and a shark attack victim for promotion to the Blakforce SCU, territory are trying to decide on a gets an interesting insight into how the prestigious Special Coconut Unit. common Indigenous language, and Aboriginal people feel. Featuring guest appearances by a photo shoot where a not-overly- We pay homage to The Godfather Deborah Mailman, Leah Purcell, sensitive photographer tries to get a and Matt Day. group of Aboriginal community workers with the Elders, an epic four-part tale EPISODE 3 WEDNESDAY 17 FEBRUARY AT 9PM In this episode we encounter an Ginny and Marcia, the Housewives of them up to sell to rich white people. advertising company encumbered with Narromine, share the dirt on a bingo Detective Nathan is going to have to the task of rebranding Aboriginality, night gone wrong, and things appear to survive kale, scented candles, cheese we’re given an insight into the potential be hotting up between the Tiddas. knives and soy lattes if he’s going to horrors that lurk behind every silent Meanwhile we hit the streets with the come anywhere near cracking the case telephone number and the Beachies men and women of Blakforce SCU, the – even though the culprit maybe closer give us some insight as to why it is that crack Special Coconut Unit, as they try than he could ever have imagined. UFOs only ever abduct white people. to police what is and isn’t black at the Featuring guest appearances by Blackfella Superstitious Solutions top end of town. In tonight’s episode Deborah Mailman, Leah Purcell, returns to find out what sort of trouble they’re on the trail of ‘The Renovator’ and Harriet Dyer. you’re asking for if you’re stupid a serial offender who buys houses enough to cut your hair at night, in black neighborhoods then does EPISODE 4 WEDNESDAY 24 FEBRUARY AT 9PM We meet a slightly unhinged doctorate awarded for his work as racial confusion – but has it worked? Indigenous driving instructor and his a cultural advisor. Working with little For her ex-boyfriend John’s sake we terrified white student, a traveller who more than Vicks, flat lemonade and can only hope so. And we meet May keeps more than just her boobs in her vinegar Uncle Doctor insists that while and Cale, a hip young mixed race bra, and a group of corporate types his methods may be unconventional, couple struggling to find a sexual who respond to being told they have to they must be respected – this despite position that is both non-racist and have a Welcome to Country ceremony a litany of failed diagnoses and sexually satisfying. by putting on one of their own. treatments. Featuring guest appearances by There’s also an appearance by Uncle Brooke Satchwell’s racially confused Deborah Mailman, Andrew McFarlane, Doctor, an Indigenous man who white woman Tiffany is back. We find and Brooke Satchwell. practices medicine even though Tiffany in an institution where she is his only qualification is an honorary undergoing therapy to cure her of her EPISODE 5 WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH AT 9PM In this episode we are introduced to wedding, we have another unnerving country town that hasn’t seen so much the ‘Namer 3000’ a supercomputer lesson with the Driving Instructor, the as a single Aboriginal in generations, designed to overcome the shortage Tiddas appear to be on the verge of but with NAIDOC week approaching of Aboriginal names required to be something bigger than Troy’s big bent the local citizenry decide it’s time they given to parks, suburbs and riverside budhoo, and the Beachies ponder the did something about that. Something walkways – but is it everything it’s reasoning behind the ‘Ab’ in Aboriginal. unsettling. Something downright evil. cracked up to be? We also meet a first We also go back in time to revisit one Featuring guest appearances by contact woman whose first contact of the classic ‘lost’ Australian gothic Deborah Mailman, Matt Day, Anita with the white man has turned her horror movies of the early 70s, the Hegh, Bruce Spence, Chris Haywood, in to a beer swilling, darts playing, unforgettable ‘Wandaroorah’. Made Graham Rouse and Maggie Dence. Manchester United supporting Chav. in the tradition of ‘The Cars That Ate Meanwhile we drop by a traditional Paris’ and Wake In Fright’, only not as good, ‘Wandaroorah’ is about a small EPISODE 6 WEDNESDAY 9 MARCH AT 9PM In this, the final episode of the series be victims think that’s he’s going to kill come to realise was no more than a we drop in on the Housewives of them first just because they’re black, disempowering act of colonization Narromine, visit with Uncle Doctor and we watch as a young Indigenous driven by their White Saviour Complexes. and sit on the log staring out into the man launches a social media campaign And finally we catch up with the Tiddas, ocean with the Beachies for the last to make white people sit next to their as they embark on the trip of a lifetime, time. Thong Mum and Selina get some Aboriginal brothers and sisters on public to New Zealand, where they intend to big news, and we meet Maloo, a pre- transport – a campaign that works too become husband and husband… if they contact conspiracy theorist who’s well for anyone’s comfort. can pull it off. predicted the arrival of the tall ships We also catch up on Laine, Stu, Bret Featuring guest appearances by and the white man as well as global and Cookie, the two white couples Robbie Magasiva, Luke Carroll, warming. who sponsored an Aboriginal girl and Michael Dorman, Lisa Hensley, We also meet a serial killer who finds her brother for a dollar a day in series Matt Day, Brendan Cowell, it offensive that his Indigenous would- one – something that they’ve now Anita Hegh and Bjorn Stewart. CAST

AARON FA’AOSO

Aaron Fa’Aoso first came to prominence awarded Outstanding Performance by Aaron has also been active behind in 2004 with his performance as ‘Eddie’ an Ensemble Cast in a Television Drama the camera writing and directing the in the critically acclaimed SBS mini- Series at the Equity Awards. short film, Sharp Eye, as part of the SBS series, R.A.N., for which he received His other television credits include City Television series Bit of Black Business. nominations for an AFI Award for Homicide and Sea Patrol. He has most Aaron was one of the devisors and Best Supporting Actor in a Television recently appeared in Screentime’s Bikie performers in the Urban Theatre Project’s Drama and a LOGIE Award for Most Wars: Brothers in Arms on Network Ten. highly successful play, Back Home, Outstanding New Talent. In 2009, he made his feature film debut which sold out at the 2006 Sydney Following on from that success, Aaron in Sue Brooks’ Subdivision. In 2012, Aaron Festival and toured to Toronto, Canada joined the multi award winning SBS Associate Produced and starred opposite the following year. He also featured series East West 101 which recently had UK actor Brian Cox in the ABC crime in Queensland’s Koeemba Jdarra its third season go to air. Aaron received drama, The Straits.The series is based Performing Arts Company productions of a 2011 Monte Carlo TV Festival award on his original idea and Produced by Howie the Rookie and Njunjal the Sun. nomination for Most Outstanding Actor Matchbox Pictures. The Straits is currently Aaron is a four time Deadly Award for his work in the series. In 2012 he was being developed for US television by Hell nominee for Male Actor of the Year for his nominated for an AACTA Award for Best on Wheels creators Tony Gayton and Joe performances in R.A.N. and East West 101. Supporting Actor, and the show was Gayton with NBC Universal, Working Title and Universal TV. “Bruce Spence, Deb Mailman, Matt Day, Leah Purcell… it was just amazing to be able get out of bed in the morning and work with these kings of their craft. It was fun to pull out some of the old stuff, like the Tiddas and Blakforce, but it was also great to be able to play with some new ideas, channeling funny characters from my community”. Aaron Fa’Aoso NAKKIAH LUI

Nakkiah is a writer/actor and Gamillario/ Foundation Indigenous Playwright Theatre Company 2013. ‘Black Torres Strait Islander woman. She is a award. In 2014, Nakkiah was the Comedy’ Writer/Actor. ABC, 2014, ‘Blak co- writer/star of ‘Black Comedy’ ABC recipient of the Malcolm Robertson Cabaret’ Playwright, Sydney Festival/ and is a monthly columnist for The Prize and a Green Room Award for Best Malthouse Theatre Company 2015, Australian Womens Weekly Online. She Independent Production. ‘Kill the Messenger’ Actor/Playwright, has been an artist in residence at Griffin Nakkiah’s previous works include; ‘This Belvoir 2015. Theatre Company (2013) and was Heaven’ Playwright, Belvoir 2013, ‘I Nakkiah is also a young leader in the playwright in residence at Belvoir from Should Have Told You Before We Made Australian Aboriginal community and 2012 - 2014. Love (That I’m Black)’ Playwright, You has contributed to The Guardian, has In 2012, Nakkiah was the first recipient Are Here Festival 2012, ‘Stho Sthexy’ been a featured panelist during Sydney of The Dreaming Award from The Playwright, MKA Melbourne 2013, Writers Festival (2014) and has appeared Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island ‘Blackie Blackie Brown: The Traditional on ‘The Drum’ on ABC. Arts Board of the Australia Council. Owners of Death’ Playwright, Bondi She recently was awarded the Belvoir The same year, Nakkiah was also the Feast, Tamarama Rock Surfers 2013. Philip Parsons Fellowship for Emerging inaugural recipient of the Balnaves ‘Sovereign Wife’ Dramaturg, Melbourne Playwrights. “Working on Black Comedy again really reiterated how powerful comedy is. Laughing is the biggest act of rebellion and the best comedy is rebellious. We’re big blacks having a laugh and that can’t not make an impact. I had one goal this series: pick something we’re not supposed to be laughing at and then write a sketch about it” Nakkiah Lui STEVEN OLIVER

Steven Oliver is a descendant of the the Performing Arts in Brisbane. He has World Theatre Festival Program and Kukuyalanji, Waanyi, Gangalidda, worked with companies such as Yirra will feature at their 2016 Melt Festival. Woppaburra, Bundjalung and Biripi Yaakin Noongar Theatre, Kooemba He has also been a Queensland state peoples. He studied at the Aboriginal Jdarra Theatre, La Boite Theatre, finalist twice and national finalist for the Music Theatre Training Programme in Jute Theatre, Kite Theatre and the Australian Poetry Slam. Perth and from there was accepted into Queensland Arts Council. His play Proper Solid was produced the Music Theatre Programme at the He has had showings of his musical by Jute Theatre in 2014 and will tour West Australian Academy of Performing Black Queen Black King as part of Queensland in 2016. He was also a Arts (WAAPA). Queensland Theatre Company’s writer, actor and associate producer Upon his return to Queensland he Creative Development Series in for ABC’s Logie nominated first season took on the role of Assistant Artistic Association with Playlab and also at sketch show Black Comedy. Director with the Aboriginal Centre for the Brisbane Powerhouse for their ELIZABETH WYMARRA

Elizabeth has been dabbling in comedy author, actor, writer and now producer/ for many years. She made a comedy director, Elizabeth comes from a short film through Metro Screen called background in radio, theatre and TV. The Biggest Port and also a half hour She recently made another short drama/comedy through Metro Screen comedy film through Metro Screen, called Woollo, which screened on titled Dawney Slack and several short ABC TV in 2013. A published children’s documentaries for NITV. ADAM BRIGGS

Adam Briggs, also known by the stage 2014 through Golden Era Records to developing a semi-autobiographical tv name Briggs, is an Australian rapper, critical acclaim, with appearances from series. lyricist, hip hop artist, writer and actor. III Bill, Joyride, Sietta and Geoffrey Awards: He is an Indigenous Australian of the Gurrumul Yunupingu. ‘Bad Apples’, In 2015, Briggs is nominated for Artist of Yorta Yorta people. Briggs’s 2nd single reached #87 on the Year and Best Song at the National Briggs has released an independent Triple J’s Hottest 100. Briggs recently Indigenous Music Awards (NIMA), EP, Homemade Bombs (2009), and started his own record label, Bad Apples Best Male Artist and Best Regional Act two albums, The Blacklist (2010) and Music, and wants to help young black at the Music Victoria Awards and is a Sheplife (2014) through the Hilltop artists write and record songs. finalist in The Australian Performing Hoods imprint ‘Golden Era Records’, Adam is relatively new to the acting Rights Association (APRA) Professional in addition to appearances on songs world, having recently finished his first Development Awards. with other artists, such as the Hilltop acting job shooting an ongoing role Previous awards and nominations include Hoods, Funkoars, Drapht and The Last in the new 8 part series Cleverman for the Best New Talent award at the 2014 Kinection. In the live arena, he has Goalpost Pictures/ABC, with directors National Indigenous Music Awards, two supported international artists such as Wayne Blair & Leah Purcell. He has Deadly Awards nominations: Best Single Ice Cube, KRS-One, Ghostface Killah, also just completed filming on the in 2011 (“The Wrong Brother) and Hip- Yelawolf, Xzibit. and Pharoahe Monch. feature film Spin Out. He was a writer hop Artist of the Year for 2012. Sheplife was released on 22 August on the second series of Black Comedy (Scarlett Pictures/ ABC) and is currently “You said there would be sandwiches” Adam Briggs IAN ZARO

Ian Zaro is a 20 year old writer/ performer with fabulous hair who has found fame worldwide as the self- appointed Dubsmash King. He lives in Townsville with his mother, his millions of online fans and his mobile phone collection. Ian likes chicken and… more chicken. Check out his videos on his Facebook page, which has more than 40,000 followers. https://www.facebook.com/ian.zaro?fref=ts PRODUCERS

KATH SHELPER

Kath is best known for producing for ABC TV and two chapters of The But before that she produced more Warwick Thornton’s feature film Turning (directed by Warwick and short films than she cares to remember Samson & Delilah. She also produced Mia Wasikowska). She also produced including: Warwick’s Green Bush Beck Cole’s debut feature Here I Am. Tender a documentary about a (Best Panorama Short Film – Berlinale, More recently Kath produced Brendan community group setting up a funeral Sundance, IF Award) and Nana (Crystal Cowell’s feature film Ruben Guthrie, service, which got a Special Mention Bear - Berlinale, IF Award), Beck’s the first series of Black Comedy and at the 2014 Sydney Film Festival Plains Empty (Sundance), Sally Riley’s Mia Wasikowska’s contribution to the documentary competition and won Confessions Of A Headhunter (Best MTV anthology film Madly. the AACTA Award for Best Television Short - AFI Awards) and Carla Drago’s Documentary. Above The Dust Level (Best Comedy - In 2013 Kath produced Warwick’s The Melbourne Film Festival, nominated AFI Darkside, a feature doc and TV series Awards). She received the Inside Film MARK O’TOOLE

Mark O’Toole started his writing career feature films Take Away and You And in mid-2011. Mark was most recently on TV programmes such as Full Frontal, Your Stupid Mate with Dave O’Neil, writer/producer of Spicks and Specks Eric and The 10.30 Slot. He co-wrote again being credited as Associate (ABC), Head Writer of two series of the the award winning John Safran’s Producer on both projects. Sex: An kids sketch comedy program You’re Music Jamboree and John Safran Unnatural History, a six part comedy/ Skitting Me (ABC3) and Series Producer Versus God with John Safran and was documentary series that Mark wrote, of Tractor Monkeys (ABC1) and Producer Associate Producer on the latter. During and served as Associate Producer on of Black Comedy Series 1 (ABC). this period Mark also co-wrote the for Matchbox Pictures aired on SBS

Starts Wednesday 3 February at 9pm