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Los Trios Ringbarkus AI simulator
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Los Trios Ringbarkus
Los Trios Ringbarkus was an Australian stand up comedy duo prominent in the 1980s, comprising Neill Gladwin (b. 1961) and Steve Kearney (b. 1961).
Both members were born in Melbourne, Gladwin in Essendon and Kearney in Burwood. They attended Rusden State College, studying to be drama teachers: at a party, Kearney broke an egg on Gladwin's head, and the two men recognised a common sense of humour. Their name was, of course, a joke; they were always a duo, though early in their career they would refer to a former third member who 'went back to his accountancy business’ or who 'got so small he disappeared and became an accountant and lives in Geelong.’
The duo often referred to themselves as 'anti-tainment'. Their act would often begin with them appearing to stumble onto stage by accident; 'staring out at the audience in sheer terror,' as one witness described it, 'whimpering in agony, stumbling across the stage entangled in microphone leads unable to speak as they gag on throats dry with fear.’ During their show Gladwin would often play what one journalist described in 1982 as ‘punk-rock accordion’, accompanied by Kearney on guitar. Their comedic approach has been typified as undergoing two main phases: confrontational and deliberately offensive humour gave way in the mid-80s to much more considered slapstick comparable to silent film comedy of the early 20th century. However, both styles coexisted, and their interest in physical comedy is evident from an early publicity campaign whereby they offered themselves as expert pie-throwers. Members of the public could 'Hire a pie in the eye' for $10. Gladwin and Kearney demonstrated their skill by throwing a pie at Joe Dolce on the pop TV show Countdown. They claimed to the press that they were available to throw a pie at Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser for $1000 and whatever legal costs would ensue.
Both men appeared in Geoff Hooke’s production of Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht’s Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny (abbreviated to Mahoganny) at the Contemporary Performance Centre, located in the Hawthorn Congregational Church, in late 1981. This was the only 'serious' theatre they appeared in under the Los Trios Ringbarkus name, and the only production they did not write themselves. An unsuccessful attempt was made by the Playbox Theatre Company to mount a production of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot some years later in which they were to be featured cast members alongside either Frank Thring or Warren Mitchell.
As Los Trios Ringbarkus they performed a range of highly successful comedy shows. In late 1981, critic Peter Weiniger wrote:‘Tough, zany, threatening, but always highly original their humour almost defies definition with a range that stretches from sheery [sic] anarchy to carefully controlled mayhem.’ For months later, the same critic lauded them as authors of 'silent comedy in the finest traditions of the Mack Sennett comedies and Laurel and Hardy.’ In August 1982, at the opening of a season at the Last Laugh Theatre Restaurant, Kearney broke his leg on stage. The incident necessitated rescheduling of the show, which opened an opportunity for the comedian Mark Little. Little would later appear in the short film Tennis Elbow with the duo.
In 1983, Los Trios Ringbarkus were showing themselves to be adaptable the mainstream media in Australia; they appeared, for instance, on Hey Hey It's Saturday. They also debuted at the Edinburgh Festival, in the Assembly Room. Here they were to be winners of the Perrier Comedy Award for Best Comedy, the first Australian comedians to win this award. Gladwin later mused:
The English Press were horrified that we had no jokes or scripts and no satire and no wit. Then a review in London loved the fact that we were working against all forms of comedy which they’re used to… Melbourne has real characters like the Whittles who are a send-up. It's sort of cutting and it rides the edges of the people in the audience.
To this, Kearney added: ‘Because they’re so deeply rooted in the Pythons and Goons tradition... there are John Cleese clones doing shows all over the place. We were seen as new and exciting and above all refreshing.’ The Perrier award led to increased coverage in the mainstream media, including an appearance on The Don Lane Show.
Los Trios Ringbarkus
Los Trios Ringbarkus was an Australian stand up comedy duo prominent in the 1980s, comprising Neill Gladwin (b. 1961) and Steve Kearney (b. 1961).
Both members were born in Melbourne, Gladwin in Essendon and Kearney in Burwood. They attended Rusden State College, studying to be drama teachers: at a party, Kearney broke an egg on Gladwin's head, and the two men recognised a common sense of humour. Their name was, of course, a joke; they were always a duo, though early in their career they would refer to a former third member who 'went back to his accountancy business’ or who 'got so small he disappeared and became an accountant and lives in Geelong.’
The duo often referred to themselves as 'anti-tainment'. Their act would often begin with them appearing to stumble onto stage by accident; 'staring out at the audience in sheer terror,' as one witness described it, 'whimpering in agony, stumbling across the stage entangled in microphone leads unable to speak as they gag on throats dry with fear.’ During their show Gladwin would often play what one journalist described in 1982 as ‘punk-rock accordion’, accompanied by Kearney on guitar. Their comedic approach has been typified as undergoing two main phases: confrontational and deliberately offensive humour gave way in the mid-80s to much more considered slapstick comparable to silent film comedy of the early 20th century. However, both styles coexisted, and their interest in physical comedy is evident from an early publicity campaign whereby they offered themselves as expert pie-throwers. Members of the public could 'Hire a pie in the eye' for $10. Gladwin and Kearney demonstrated their skill by throwing a pie at Joe Dolce on the pop TV show Countdown. They claimed to the press that they were available to throw a pie at Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser for $1000 and whatever legal costs would ensue.
Both men appeared in Geoff Hooke’s production of Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht’s Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny (abbreviated to Mahoganny) at the Contemporary Performance Centre, located in the Hawthorn Congregational Church, in late 1981. This was the only 'serious' theatre they appeared in under the Los Trios Ringbarkus name, and the only production they did not write themselves. An unsuccessful attempt was made by the Playbox Theatre Company to mount a production of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot some years later in which they were to be featured cast members alongside either Frank Thring or Warren Mitchell.
As Los Trios Ringbarkus they performed a range of highly successful comedy shows. In late 1981, critic Peter Weiniger wrote:‘Tough, zany, threatening, but always highly original their humour almost defies definition with a range that stretches from sheery [sic] anarchy to carefully controlled mayhem.’ For months later, the same critic lauded them as authors of 'silent comedy in the finest traditions of the Mack Sennett comedies and Laurel and Hardy.’ In August 1982, at the opening of a season at the Last Laugh Theatre Restaurant, Kearney broke his leg on stage. The incident necessitated rescheduling of the show, which opened an opportunity for the comedian Mark Little. Little would later appear in the short film Tennis Elbow with the duo.
In 1983, Los Trios Ringbarkus were showing themselves to be adaptable the mainstream media in Australia; they appeared, for instance, on Hey Hey It's Saturday. They also debuted at the Edinburgh Festival, in the Assembly Room. Here they were to be winners of the Perrier Comedy Award for Best Comedy, the first Australian comedians to win this award. Gladwin later mused:
The English Press were horrified that we had no jokes or scripts and no satire and no wit. Then a review in London loved the fact that we were working against all forms of comedy which they’re used to… Melbourne has real characters like the Whittles who are a send-up. It's sort of cutting and it rides the edges of the people in the audience.
To this, Kearney added: ‘Because they’re so deeply rooted in the Pythons and Goons tradition... there are John Cleese clones doing shows all over the place. We were seen as new and exciting and above all refreshing.’ The Perrier award led to increased coverage in the mainstream media, including an appearance on The Don Lane Show.