Joshua Hauville is a gay Australian comedian originally hailing from the glamorous outer-Sydney suburb of Penrith but has recently spent the best part of two years living and performing in Paris. His solo show Joshy in Paris blends these experiences into an energetic queer spectacle of life lived as a gay Aussie trying to make it in the City of Lights, Love and Leprosy, which he has recently toured in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. Next stop: the SpringOUT Comedy Gala in Canberra.
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You grew up in Penrith and ended up in Paris. Why didn’t you go to Perth or Philadelphia?
I have actually been to Perth four times this year for the first time in my life and loved it. It’s like Penrith without the NI. Perhaps I have a penchant for places starting with P.
What is it about French culture that gives you so much material, so much ‘oomph’?
It’s just the one accent the world allows us to impersonate without calling it racist or problematic. Is that a good thing? Probably not. But it’s the world who makes the rules. I’m just exploiting them. Genuinely speaking I think growing up in the West as a fruitcake, family dynamics, my many jobs and travelling the globe that have given me the most material. But the French stuff cuts through online.
What surprised you most about Paris?
Probably the grime and grit of the place. I first lived there as a student on exchange for a year in 2018. And I had never been abroad before so everything was a delightful surprise. Just the sheer amount of characters you meet in Paris is next level. Even more so the internationals living there than the locals. Just zany old Americans who have decided to make a life for themselves in the most whack apartments all over that city.
Do French people think you’re funny?
They do. I even did my solo show in French for a couple of renditions earlier this year for all my cher francophones living Down Under and mamma they ate it up. nom nom nom en français, etc. Also, I performed for many a French person in English and French in Paris and the reception was generally fine. Sometimes they are just more timid about expressing it than English speakers. They’re like a nation of house cats and Australians seem more like Golden Retrievers. The French are actually very good sports at laughing at themselves and love sarcasm as much as we do – you just gotta do it well.
Would you rather hook up with an Aussie or a Frenchie and why?
These days I’d rather hook up with myself tbh. I have been fairly abstinent this year focusing all my creatives juices on myself (bodily juices included). But if I had to, probably an Aussie. Cause generally speaking, the Frenchies can be a little too bitchy and pouty for my liking. I like a bit of MONGREL in my men.
Your shows are very energetic – where does your energy come from? Croissants?
I wish. The croissant quality in this country is atrocious unless you want to pay $12 at a wild inner city fusion bakery. My energy comes from my sexy lil solar plexus. I have no idea how or why I was given so much energy, but it has always been pumping, grooving and moving through my veins since my youth. I’m actually worse when I don’t have an outlet for it. I was a monster to live with when I tried working as a lawyer for two years in covid.
Who is your current fave comedian?
Claire Robin who performs Nun Slut. Need I say more? If it ever hits a city near you, you must go see.
What’s one thing you’d do in front of a queer audience that you never would if it was straight?
Not much. I love shaking up the straights and have no fear of them. They need it even more tbh. It’s our God-given duty to shock them to their fragile lil core. But you just get better reception for NASTY jokes from the queers so that is always delightful. The ability to be absolutely disgusting and have an audience eat it up.
Have you performed in Canberra before and what are your expectations?
I have never performed in Canberra and actually don’t believe I have been since I was 19 years old. So I look forward to performing for the queer government officials, policy officers and minions of Albo!
