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Lilley of Left Field
Vibewire.net | October 5, 2005

Chris Lilley is sitting on the set of We Can Be Heroes, the television series he devised, wrote and starred in. But at the moment, he isn't Chris Lilley. He is Ricky Wong, world renowned physics student, amateur actor, and one of five heroes selected to take part in a documentary tracking the lives of nominees for Australian of the Year.

Ricky is sitting on the set of Indidgeridoo, the musical his Chinese Musical Theatre Group is putting on. He is playing the lead role of an Aboriginal man. Wearing a brown, lycra body suit with white markings and holding a boomerang in his right hand, he shares his Chinese accented ambitions with the camera.

"I've always wanted to play a retarded person," he says. "People who win Academy Awards always play a retarded person so I think that's where I'm headed . . . mainly."

There's something odd about watching a white man playing a Chinese man who's rehearsing to play an Aboriginal man and dreams of playing a retarded man. Almost as strange as when he's playing a woman.

It's politically incorrect. It's weird. It's about as far away from Scott and Charlene's Wedding as you can get and it's hilarious.

But Lilley has never merely followed convention. Before he got serious about being funny, he was dedicated to his music. When he used to play in pubs though, the audiences didn't know how to respond to the unusual musician with long, crimped hair.

"It was weird, electronic stuff. It wasn't . . . cool," he says. "People weren't quite sure whether I was serious, but I was quite serious."

He got a better reaction when he began to do short comedy segments in between songs. Before long, his jokes were getting more attention than his tunes and quite by accident, he found himself warping into a stand up comedian.

Even his stand up wasn't typical. He worked in character routines and played keyboard during his sets. Doing it the normal way didn't appeal to him.

"I'm not a massive fan of the 'blokey Aussie comedy' stand up thing," he says, using the kind of phrase you'd expect to hear from a blokey Aussie bloke. "I did more of a show than an interactive thing."

Despite his refusal to conform, Lilley doesn't ignore the world around him. On the contrary, he observes people and situations closely. As a schoolboy, he would impersonate his teachers for the amusement of his classmates. Today, he uses his phone to jot down notes on the way people make dialogue, while standing in line at the supermarket.

"I never really realised it was weird, but now I’ve become really aware of it," he says.

We Can Be Heroes producer, Laura Waters, who also worked on series three of Kath and Kim, feels it's Lilley's credibility in so many different roles that sets him apart.

"I think that Chris has a gift for being able to tap into characters and being able to find the comedy and also the truthfulness of particular kinds of people. People recognise other people in him," she says.

A huge amount of energy and planning went into each of the heroes. Once he had decided who they would be, he started spending time with real people in similar situations. He went home with them, videoed them and followed their lives. It had to be just right.

At the moment, he's at it again, preparing for a new show for the ABC based on Mr G, an unconventional drama teacher, whom Lilley played on Channel Seven sketch shows The Big Bite and Hamish and Andy.

When asked if he sees himself as a perfectionist, Lilley is quick to respond, but then stumbles, searching for the perfect answer. “Yeah . . .  yeah, I know, yes.”

In character, his answers come freely. He's prepared and he knows what he's doing but when he has to talk about himself, he becomes more hesitant. After thinking it through, he continues. "The producer of the show thinks I'm a pain in the arse for that reason. For ninety eight per cent of the show, I got my own way but there are a couple of things that just make me think, 'Oh, I wish they didn't talk me into doing that!'"

One area where he felt compromised was the Aboriginal themed musical, Indidgeridoo. As he talks about it, it's obvious that it still frustrates him.

"There were a few places where I wanted to go a little bit further. I don't think it went as well as it could have because I was really wanting to push that, but the ABC had to be careful. We had a million Aboriginal advisers coming in. It was ridiculous!"

Even though the show broached controversial issues such as the history of the Aborigines and refugees in detention, Lilley is keen to make it clear that he wasn't making a political statement.

"The major priority above everything is 'is it funny and entertaining?' It's more about pushing the boundaries and doing things that make people feel, 'Oh my God! I've never seen that before!' That was more exciting to me than being preachy," he says.

Among those who found it funny, was Andrew Denton, who had heard good things about Lilley from contacts "in the world of kitschy comedy."

"I thought it was fantastic," he says, "and in the best tradition of understated character, the joke never got in the way of style."

A crucial element of the show was the narration by Denton's wife, Jennifer Byrne. At first she wasn't sure who Lilley was and what he planned to do, but agreed to meet with him at her home to discuss the idea. During the meeting, Denton came in.

"I'd never met him before," says Lilley, "but he just walked in the back door and said, 'Oh, I love your stuff,' and talked me up in front of her."

Lilley doesn't suffer from anonymity anymore. Since the show went to air he's become a cult hero and is recognised in the street. The observer is being observed. And he's still getting used to it.

"I met the St Kilda football team the other night in St Kilda and they were all sitting around and they yelled out, 'Do Ricky Wong! Ricky!'

"It's just weird when you're standing there and you're not in character. I'm not one of those people that stays in character around the set. I gave them a bit of Ricky, but it's a bit awkward."

It's not just the fans that are starting to take notice. He's been getting a lot of offers for work with the heroes, especially pretentious Sydney schoolgirl, Ja'mie King - the show's most popular character. It's a big change for Lilley who remembers jumping at the chance to do voiceovers as a struggling comedian.

"I was just saying yes to everything. It's really weird now. I get all these offers and I still have the same instinct and I say "Yes! We'll do it! We'll do it!"

He's only actually said yes once and as a result, Ja'mie will be co-hosting the ARIAS. With Lilley involved, you can be sure it will be a great performance.

But will it be perfect? Not 100%.