After years of requests, Hard Quiz master, Tom Gleeson, is taking the Big Brass Mug out on the road. He kicks off the Hard Quiz Live national tour at the Canberra Theatre with four shows on 5-6 March; click here for tickets.

Where did the idea for Hard Quiz Live come from?

“People have been asking for it ever since it first came on TV and I used to think ‘oh yeah, I’ll take it on the road and only end up with 20 people in the audience’. Even just at my stand up shows when I’d be out touring often people would be out heckling and asking about Hard Quiz.

“I waited and waited until it became popular enough to justify it.”

How will it be different to the TV program?

“When I record an episode, we often have almost 50 minutes of material to cut back to half an hour … It always hurts just how much gold we have to cut out to go to air. For all the people I’ll be able to let it run, I also suspect the banter will be pretty gloves off.

“I suppose it’s pretty rare that I could go up to someone right now and say you can turn up to the show, get on stage, and tell someone from television to get f***ed to their face, and I will welcome it.”

What are some of your favourite subjects you’ve had on Hard Quiz?

“One thing I love about doing the show is I haven’t got sick of it because every time I show up, I think ‘who are these people?’; I’m never bored. Coming up in a few episodes we have Darren, whose expert subject is bricks, and I just love that. What they come up with is just always off the wall and always just a joy to see what they have to say.”

What’s your advice for participants?

“The best thing people can do is obviously try to win your round, but in terms of being on the show, the best thing is to walk on there with an empty head. Sometimes people come on with prepared lines and I’ll just let them get it out of their system and move on. Engage with the show, that usually works best rather than coming in too scripted.”

Do you enjoy performing in Canberra?

“I was not a fan of Tony Abbott, and in 2014 just after he got elected, I had half an hour of material on him when everyone else was saying let’s give him a chance. When I was performing in Canberra it was exciting, I knew I had staffers in the audience and word would get around.

“Comedians don’t change the results of election, but I like to make fun of them in front of their faces rather than behind their back.

“My shows have always gone really well in Canberra … I’d like to say it’s because Canberra is the most educated city in Australia, and I know Canberrans like to say that about themselves, but it could be because there’s f*** all else on.”

*Gleeson’s responses have been condensed for publication.

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