Australia going bananas for Dave

Former Grafton High student Zoe Coombs Marr is in the running for the prestigious Helpmann Award thanks to her latest comic creation

TWICE AS GOOD: Zoe Coombs Marr, left, with her comedy alter ego ‘Dave’, the pair are shaking up the Australian comedy scene.

WHILE Dave the clueless, sexist stand-up incarnation of Zoe Coombs Marr is consuming the 31-year-old comedian at present - winning awards and being bombarded with great reviews for her latest displays of socially provocative comedy - he isn't the first male to infiltrate the psyche of the former Grafton High student.

Malcolm had that honour back when Zoe was honing her craft as a young teen by inhabiting the persona of a typically Australian school boy.

"I used to do a double act with a (female) school friend called Malcolm and Keith. We were two boys that thought girls were stupid. We used to do a cooking show and make truck bread instead of fairy bread.

"We'd do that for our school variety nights. It was drag act so I guess that was a really early incarnation of Dave."

And while Dave has his roots in Grafton, Zoe said she has been been developing his character since heading down her performance career path, honing his personality in the "blokey" comedy rooms of the Sydney scene.

Dave's latest show is Trigger Warning, and this time he has had to resort to becoming a silent clown to try and shut down the outraged offendees and the backlash by feminists generated by his previous shows. While Dave is traditionally light on talent, Zoe is receiving great reviews from the capital city press, with the Sydney Morning Herald reviewer citing "Coombs Marr lets (Dave) be so absurdly real and reluctantly vulnerable that the audience cheered to see his d*ck."

The Sydney-based comedian said she has a soft spot for Dave - "I love him" - and really try to empathise with his character and understand where someone like him is coming from when she's up there in full comedy flight. He's really trying not to offend people, he just doesn't see that he is.

"Take someone like Eddie McGuire for instance. He was side swiped by it (his idea of humour). You have to wonder what is going on in that idiot's head. He's completely oblivious to the major conversation going on and doesn't quite know why he had to apologise. It's great material for comedy because it's been going on for so long."

Besides the nomination for a Helpmann Award, the results of which will be announced on July 25, Zoe (and Dave) has already taken out the Melbourne Comedy Festival's top honour this year with its Barry Award and a Golden Gibbo, a prize awarded to comedians who are pushing the boundaries of the form.

And while Zoe is stoked to be recognised with "funny trophies" like these, she doesn't go around anticipating recognition like this. "That would not be good for your mental health. The Barry was a very nice shock and it's great to be acknowledged but I haven't moved into a mansion because of it."

The Grafton educated (infants, primary and high school) comedian said she had always had a hankering for performance of some kind.

"I used to put on shows when I was really little for my parents (Peter and Linda). I was really gung ho about it as a kid.

"I initially wanted to be a vet but realised I wasn't very good at it. I grew up on cattle farm and remember I had to put a syringe in a cow's eye for dad and had an episode. I had to sit under a tree with my head between my knees."

Zoe's first started performing publicly during her primary school years through music, and later through drama lessons in Years 7 and 8 at the Clarence Valley Conservatorium.

"I was there with Michael Balk (Scrapboy/Dirtgirlworld) and had after school lessons with Cate McQuillen (Dirtgirl co-creator). We were that serious about it we chose to put a musical on instead of going to Schoolies."

As far as her gift for comedy goes, Zoe said can attribute a lot of that to her parents.

"They are both funny but I'm very similar to my dad, more so now my moustache is coming on.

"I'll say something and think 'oh my god, that is just like dad', but mum is funny too. We were a very jovial family growing up."

Catch Zoe Coombs Marr in action in Trigger Warning at Giant Dwarf, Redfern on July 16 and July 22.

Originally published as Australia going bananas for Dave