How a Brisbane comedian turned home-town cringe into comedy gold

Welcome to CityChats, where Brisbane Times meets our city’s most interesting characters on our most iconic form of transport. This week, comedian Tilly Oddy-Black, known for her sketch characters such as “toxic mum” and “feral niece”, tells us about her favourite spots in Brisbane, how she comes up with her sketch characters, and the embarrassment of performing in front of family.

We meet Oddy-Black at North Quay ferry terminal. She’s fresh off a plane and in the middle of touring but generously came straight from the airport to chat with us.

Where are you from in Brisbane?

I’m from Bardon, like Paddington, it’s right on the border in Brisbane. That’s where I grew up. I was actually born in the house that my mum still lives in. It was intentional, she didn’t just slip me out accidentally.

What is your favourite thing about Brisbane?

I just love how at home I feel in Brisbane, I think just because I grew up here. But honestly, I feel like I could sleep anywhere, and I would feel at home on the streets, like every bit of Brisbane, it’s home.

What are your favourite spots in Brisbane?

I love the mosaic bench in Paddington, that’s one of my favourite spots. The big tree, up on the hill in Bardon – it’s very specific. You just go find the big tree, you’ll know it when you see it. I love the Gap Tavern, it’s where I broke my arm when I was 12. I love Marist and Mt St Michael’s, they’re very special schools to me. Anywhere in Brisbane, any little nook and pocket, it’s just home.

Another reason why Brisbane is better than Sydney is we have TotalFusion. It’s like a palace. The cinema in Rosalie, I reckon it’s better than the Ritz.

What are your favourite places to eat and drink in the city?

Of course the RE (Royal Exchange in Toowong), although I haven’t visited there in quite a long time because I think I’ve aged out of that. I’d probably be stoned if I set foot in there, but I used to go to the RE every single Wednesday without fail.

I would babysit on the Tuesday and Wednesday, save up – it’d be like $60 for babysitting – then take it all to the RE, go straight there on Wednesday night and blow it all, and then just survive the next week to do it all again. Four-dollar basics. It was just the best nights of my life.

I think my favourite chocolate ever is from New Farm Confectionery. It’s the dark chocolate honeycomb. I bought bulk of it, shipped it to Sydney and, unfortunately, it all became crushed – because it’s honeycomb – but it still got the job done. I miss it so much. And then there’s Evra (in Newstead), which is like a Brisbane version of Erewhon, really great. Love the smoothies there.

Oddy-Black is known for creating characters that are hilarious yet sometimes a little painful to watch. Your almond mum, the popular kids from high school, your incredibly out-of-touch colleague – she’s got it all.

Are any of your sketch characters based on people or things in Brisbane?

So many – all of them – it’s so hard not to. When I was at school, I used to impersonate teachers all the time. I haven’t been at school for a while, so I don’t really have any teacher characters, but it’s just the new wave of people who I’m around and exposed to who are, I guess, lots of inspiration.

Do you have any upcoming characters that you can share with us?

I really don’t, but I’m sure there is one brewing.

I’m scared.

It’s like a journalist from Brisbane Times, sort of just this weird, super freaky character.

Is there a character of yours who people relate to most?

There’s someone for everyone. Because I’ve been doing my show, touring it, a lot of high school kids will come up to me, and I do this hot girl, a popular girl, like a high school bully character who’s awful.

When we were writing, it was, ‘What’s the worst possible thing she could say? Oh, let’s do this’, and I thought obviously that’s not relatable, but it’s like an exaggerated version. People will come up after it and be like, ‘I go to school with someone exactly like that’. I’m like, ‘Oh that’s terrifying. I’m really sorry.’

What is the character that people hate the most?

The feral niece. She’s actually my favourite character, but anytime it’s like [groans]. People are repulsed by it, especially my friends.

Do you have a feral niece?

No. I have three nieces, but none of them are like that. She’s got a man’s voice. It’s like an essence of every little child, like the iPad kid, you know? It’s just sticky, coughing, slap in the belly, and it’s extra grotesque.

You live in Sydney now. Did you start in the comedy scene in Brisbane?

No, I did a few improv courses here. I started uni here. I tried to. I did QUT for three days and then dropped out, and then the next year, I did UQ for one month. I was a little bit better on that one. I was doing a bachelor of arts, I think it was, but nothing was really interesting me.

I don’t know, I was like, ‘I’ve just done so much of school, I don’t really want to keep doing this’. So then I moved to New York for a bit and did some training there, then moved back. Then I went to Sydney, but no, I didn’t really do anything in the comedy scene here. I think I did a couple of open mics when I was 18, but nothing really stuck.

Is it a harder thing to break into, especially when you know so many people here?

Yes, I think that’s why it was so scary, because I can’t go anywhere without either my family or a good friend of the family. That’s the most embarrassing thing, to perform in front of them.

Us, watching Oddy-Black’s eventual ‘weird journalist’ sketch character:

How do you get over that?

Well, luckily the lights are really blinding, so if I don’t focus my eyes, I can’t tell who’s there. So that’s the only way to do it. And move away, absolutely. Distance is good.

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