John Robertson saves the day
It was a comedy of errors at Sydney Supanova pop culture expo this weekend, as the Madman entertainment ‘Cosplay’ championships suffered a number of technical difficulties, writes Michael Scattergood.
Short for ‘Costume Play’, the Madman Cosplay championships have become a pop culture hit, with fans from all over the world competing for a shot at glory at the Tokyo international championships.
But after a number of props – and an unfortunate competitor – disappeared off the back of the stage, followed shortly after by the sound cutting out and another competitor’s backing track going missing, it became clear this competition of dress up heroes would need a very real hero of
its own.
Enter John Robertson. No, not the New South Wales opposition leader, though a figure no less vocal under the right circumstances. A self confessed sci-fi convention regular of over ten years, Robertson, now turned professional comedian, was invited to stand in as host for an earlier event, and the role stuck.
Realising the show must go on, Robertson began buying time for the event’s technicians by conducting an interview with an onstage prop, a life-sized suit and tie wearing dummy (with a goat’s head, no less).
Asked what went through his head as he realised something was well and truly amiss, Robertson shared his insights with the same rapid fire enthusiasm he uses on stage:
“Nothing really went through my head. I went ‘Well she’s just fallen off stage and might be dead. Make sure she isn’t. Oh good she isn’t. Relay that good news, and relay as much good news as you can to the crowd. But there comes a point when no good news is available, so then you just have to start making it.”
And make it he did. When it became clear there was no more good news, Robertson leapt off stage to pick members from the audience, many in costume themselves, to produce material for what was quickly becoming his act.
Asked how he selected audience members he replied:
“What happens is, I’ll go ‘Oh! I recognise that’ or I’ll go ‘Oh! I don’t recognise that, but I’m interested in it’. Snap fingers. Look at that. Let’s have a wild time.”
Sometimes, he even selects people based on how enthusiastic they aren’t.
“Sometimes people will do something… like when I jumped out, and the first woman I walked past put her hand up over her face, just to let me know ‘don’t come near me’. I used to be a clown, so the minute somebody does that, of course you’re going to get them, you’re going to have a little bit of fun. And that distracts everybody from the fact that literally nothing is happening.”
Robertson kept his audience in stitches for a full 40 minutes, until the technicians restored all services and the competition resumed.
When it was all over, he found himself receiving as much love from the crowd as the competitors.
John Robertson celebrates the Queen’s Jubilee with his comedy show The Old Whore on Friday June 22 at the Sydney Comedy Store. See for details, or book online .
