Communication; we do it all the time whether face to face, on the phone, or online, so how do people still get it wrong? Comedian Michael Connell is constantly putting his foot in his mouth, and then trying to dig himself out of it. In ‘Acting the Goat’ Michael looks at the funny things that happen when communication breaks down.

“Acting the Goat” will be Michael’s first big show in Melbourne since returning from a tour of the UK and Ireland earlier this year. His time performing abroad has also helped inspire the show.  He learned that in Sweden instead of saying “don’t get your knickers in a twist”, they say “don’t get your beard caught in the post-box.”

 “Where did that expression come from? Did that ever happen? Is there an angry man in Sweden standing next to a post-box full of beard? It’s these sort of weird little quirks of language that I’ll be looking at in the show.”  

So there’s no jokes about Goats then? “Well, there wasn’t when I started writing the show, but then when I was trying to get a photo for the poster I was nearly killed by an angry Billy Goat, so now that’s in the show!” Despite this brush with death Michael claims he had fun putting the show together and has even learnt something; “Yep,never work with kids or animals.” 

Weimar cabaret artist Kim Smith will wed fiancé William Ferguson today in Connecticut.

The New York Times article about the couple reports that they met each other five years ago in true romantic fashion while American opera singer William Ferguson was in Melbourne, performing with Opera Australia in Provofiev’s “Love for Three Oranges”.  They met on Swanston Street when a chance meeting with their mutual friend, who happened to be Kim Smith’s best friend, introduced them to each other.

There was chemistry from that moment and Kim eventually moved to New York City to be with William. And the rest is history.

I couldn’t help but smile as I watched the gorgeous and talented couple talk about how they met, right through to the moment William proposed to Kim on the very street they first ran into in Melbourne.  If this clip doesn’t melt your heart, I suggest you check your pulse!

I started corresponding with Kim Smith before he came to perform his show Morphium at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival to arrange an interview for this blog. When I saw his show, I was completely mesmerised and became his big fan.  I was really happy to hear the exciting news about the wedding a few weeks ago, and am thrilled to bits for this handsome couple.  

Congratulations Kim and William – I wish both all the happiness in the world and beyond – today, always and forever.

Read the full New York Times wedding announcement here.

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