For Australian musician/songwriter/comedian Tim Minchin, there seems to be no time to relax.
Between working on the recent West End adaptation of Matilda and making the step up to full arena tours, Minchin admits to Female First that his success is something that he can't let himself focus on.
"It's such a head-f***," he laughs. "My whole career is like that - if I got anywhere near getting my head around it, I'd probably freak out."
Tim's been working alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company on a stage musical adaptation of Roald Dahl's Matilda.
"Having a musical go to the West End is well beyond my most grand expectations," he admits, although explains that he has taken a step back in terms of being hands-on with the production.
"I've identified that being round the rehearsal room isn't very helpful. I'm not the director, I'm not the musical director - I write the songs."
Tim adds: "What I have been doing is going to the theatre a couple of times a week, just because I love watching the build. I love theatres - I love seeing the dismantling and rebirth."
The marriage of a Dahl classic and a man seen as an often edgy comedian may seem strange, but Tim has always been a fan of the author's work.
"In fact, completely coincidentally, I had written to the Dahl estate ten years before, when I was writing children's theatre Perth, to ask about the rights for Matilda. I thought it'd make a great musical."
He ambition was realised when the RSC asked him to compose the music for the project.
Tim explains: "It was an amazing opportunity, and I knew from the very beginning on one level, I was trying to do the right thing by Dahl."
He continues: "To do an adaptation that was true to his tone, which is much, much harder than you might think - which is indicated by the not-very-good adaptations. Not that they're bad, they're just not very Dahl."
Minchin admits that, for the musical to survive on the West End, the public have to realise that it has a wide appeal.
"It's absolutely for family," he explains, adding that "It's just not only for children."
Despite what many would see as a shift in style for Minchin's writing, the musician doesn't think he has had to adjust too much - he writes what "needs to be written to express what I'm trying to express."
He adds: "When I'm writing about the idea that we should be offended on behalf of the Pope, then there's a certain type of language which highlights what I'm trying to say about that."
Tim actually has a history in children's theatre from his time in Perth, although he's the first to admit it was on a much smaller scale.
"Playing games with words, and all those things I do - the job's the same. You don't need to swear when I'm getting Miss Honey to talk about her house."
Although many may see the partnership as odd, his love for the source material meant Minchin was always confident.
"If we got it right, there's no reason why it wouldn't have a life beyond Stratford-upon-Avon," he says, adding: "Now I'm incredibly keen that it has a life beyond this Christmas, and maybe even beyond the West End."
With the different directions his careers are pulling him in, it has been asked whether Tim Minchin is a comedian who's written a musical, or a musician who happens to write funny songs.
Tim sees it likes this: "I'm a theatrical songwriter, really. The fact that I can perform myself, and have discovered recently that people laugh at the things I say more than I though they would - it's brilliant."
Classing himself as a musician, Tim also admits he's probably a lyricist. "I can't write like Bob Dylan - I can't write beautiful poetry, but I can write beautiful stuff in my way."
With his comedy career doing as well as it has, Minchin was initially uncertain about breaking away and heading "back home" to writing for theatre, but is enjoying the diversity it's given him.
Aside from Matilda, the musician was busy this summer for the festival season, highlight by his return to Reading and Leeds Festivals in August.
Tim has steadily drawn bigger crowds, and hopes to move to the NME/Radio 1 Stage next year.
"At the festivals this year, the gigs felt like watching Barenaked Ladies - someone that fits the other side of the line. Hopefully that's where it's heading," Minchin comments.
He's quick to point out that it won't mark a huge career change: "Not that I want to stop doing comedy, it's just really fun to rock out. I've always done that at festivals," adding: "My stand-up's really long-form, meandering and worder - I never do any of that. It's always much more like a gig anyway."
Tim did note his ambitions to do one thing he's yet to do over his 20-year career as a musician - record a studio album.
He says of his goal: "I don't wanna suddenly flip on people and start writing serious songs, although I do want to make an album one day."
"I'm not talking about suddenly being ultra-straight, it'll always be quirky, I just mean non-comic," he explains, noting that he doesn't think it would be a huge shock to anyone.
"I think it would be pretty obvious to people that that's inevitable."
The festivals, and indeed his live shows in general, allow Tim to live out a "rock star" fantasy, something he sees the irony in.
He laughs: "It's always been like that. When I walk out on stage, or come out of the floor surrounded by smoke at the 02 - we're joking, but it's indistinguishable from Madonna, in that moment."
Tim adds: "it's hilarious - it's the best fun ever, cos you get to have your cake and eat it too. You get to be a rock star, and laugh at rock stars."
Part two of this interview will be online tomorrow, as Tim discusses his lyrics, his orchestra-backed arena tour, his DVD and the future.
Tim Minchin And The Heritage Orchestra will be released on DVD and blue-ray 14th November. It can be pre-ordered at amazon.co.uk.
Female First - Alistair McGeorge
For Australian musician/songwriter/comedian Tim Minchin, there seems to be no time to relax.
Between working on the recent West End adaptation of Matilda and making the step up to full arena tours, Minchin admits to Female First that his success is something that he can't let himself focus on.
"It's such a head-f***," he laughs. "My whole career is like that - if I got anywhere near getting my head around it, I'd probably freak out."
Tim's been working alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company on a stage musical adaptation of Roald Dahl's Matilda.
"Having a musical go to the West End is well beyond my most grand expectations," he admits, although explains that he has taken a step back in terms of being hands-on with the production.
"I've identified that being round the rehearsal room isn't very helpful. I'm not the director, I'm not the musical director - I write the songs."
Tim adds: "What I have been doing is going to the theatre a couple of times a week, just because I love watching the build. I love theatres - I love seeing the dismantling and rebirth."
The marriage of a Dahl classic and a man seen as an often edgy comedian may seem strange, but Tim has always been a fan of the author's work.
"In fact, completely coincidentally, I had written to the Dahl estate ten years before, when I was writing children's theatre Perth, to ask about the rights for Matilda. I thought it'd make a great musical."
He ambition was realised when the RSC asked him to compose the music for the project.
Tim explains: "It was an amazing opportunity, and I knew from the very beginning on one level, I was trying to do the right thing by Dahl."
He continues: "To do an adaptation that was true to his tone, which is much, much harder than you might think - which is indicated by the not-very-good adaptations. Not that they're bad, they're just not very Dahl."
Minchin admits that, for the musical to survive on the West End, the public have to realise that it has a wide appeal.
"It's absolutely for family," he explains, adding that "It's just not only for children."
Despite what many would see as a shift in style for Minchin's writing, the musician doesn't think he has had to adjust too much - he writes what "needs to be written to express what I'm trying to express."
He adds: "When I'm writing about the idea that we should be offended on behalf of the Pope, then there's a certain type of language which highlights what I'm trying to say about that."
Tim actually has a history in children's theatre from his time in Perth, although he's the first to admit it was on a much smaller scale.
"Playing games with words, and all those things I do - the job's the same. You don't need to swear when I'm getting Miss Honey to talk about her house."
Although many may see the partnership as odd, his love for the source material meant Minchin was always confident.
"If we got it right, there's no reason why it wouldn't have a life beyond Stratford-upon-Avon," he says, adding: "Now I'm incredibly keen that it has a life beyond this Christmas, and maybe even beyond the West End."
With the different directions his careers are pulling him in, it has been asked whether Tim Minchin is a comedian who's written a musical, or a musician who happens to write funny songs.
Tim sees it likes this: "I'm a theatrical songwriter, really. The fact that I can perform myself, and have discovered recently that people laugh at the things I say more than I though they would - it's brilliant."
Classing himself as a musician, Tim also admits he's probably a lyricist. "I can't write like Bob Dylan - I can't write beautiful poetry, but I can write beautiful stuff in my way."
With his comedy career doing as well as it has, Minchin was initially uncertain about breaking away and heading "back home" to writing for theatre, but is enjoying the diversity it's given him.
Aside from Matilda, the musician was busy this summer for the festival season, highlight by his return to Reading and Leeds Festivals in August.
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