Lucy Seale

Throughout my three years as a regular member of the group I have refined my sketch writing skills, developed my comedic performance abilities, jumped on air for the Mudcrabs slot on Radio Fodder, participated in the video department, written for the zine: Parkville Crustacean, joined
the improv. team, begun doing stand up and was even forced to confront what I thought was surely a deadly fear... singing on stage (don't worry, I survived... I even went on to be in a musical!) During this time I have held 3 committee positions. In 2018 I was one of the Mudcrabs' Equity and Welfare Officers, a new role created to meet the needs of the rapidly growing club. Through this position I helped to mediate situations of conflict, promote wellbeing within the club, and also received a grant which allowed me to gain my certificate in Mental Health First Aid.

In 2019 I held the committee position of Artistic Director of Rowdy Laughter. This was a 7-8 hour weekly commitment to run writing workshops every Friday, cast the show, confirm any necessary edits to sketches and create a setlist over the weekend, run rehearsals on a Wednesday morning before the 1pm show. Rowdy is usually about an hour long, and for the most part is a sketch show, but we also like to feature the stand-up and improv. departments of Mudcrabs. It’s free to watch in the Rowden White Library of Union House, and anyone who's ever wanted to try out comedy can get involved. I loved my time as a director - due to the nature of the show I was able to continue writing, editing and performing while in this role. Aside from the weekly show, I had the chance to run writing and acting workshops in the Guild Theatre during the Mudcrabs Development Week. The position also meant taking on responsibilities such as organising Mudcrabs shows or sets for the Union House Sleepover, Union Comedy Night, the Mudfest Comedy Gala, the Semester 1 and Semester 2 Mini Revue, and our semesterly Gals and Non-Binary Pals Show. Our Gals and Non-Binary Pals shows are especially close to my heart, as I strongly believe that the comedy industry needs to work harder to become a space in which women and gender non-conforming individuals feel welcome and see themselves represented. Though student comedy is hardly going to solve the issue, I think it’s important to create space for women and non-binary people to workshop and perform comedy in a supportive, safe, low-stakes environment. 

In 2020 I was on the committee as Director of Major Show (Sem 1). I pitched a production called Devision - a devised piece of theatre poking fun at devised theatre - which was to be staged for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, until it was sadly cancelled. Before I pitched Devision to Mudcrabs, I co-produced and performed in a development of the production through Shakespearean Jeans, for UMSU Creative Arts Department's Tastings program in 2018. Three of my fellow Mudcrabs, Emma Bampton, James Gordon and Finn Lloyd, under the direction of Nicola Dobinson, collaboratively devised the show from a loose script I had written. The concept was a very playful satirical take on the type of contemporary theatre which fails to say anything of substance. We were very lucky to receive mentorship for this play from physical comedian and clown, Kimberley Twiner (of PO PO MO CO). This was the start of my interest in exploring a physical comedy, and it definitely made me hungry for more.