Comedy
The A-Z of Tim Minchin
From Aussie equality to zombie Jesus – the complete alphabet of the singer, writer, stand-up and all-round Renaissance man
A is for Aussie
Alright, we’re starting out with an obvious one. Minchin was raised in Perth, and has most definitely reached national treasure status in the land down under. That said, he’s not afraid to take well-aimed shots at his fellow countrymen – such as with the track in support of marriage equality, ‘I Still Call Australia Homophobic’.
B is for Barefoot
Minchin performs at all of his gigs sans footwear. It’s just more comfortable, apparently! “I quite often have gone to wear shoes onstage and at the last minute I just go, ‘This feels wrong’. So I think I’m in it for life now,” he’s said.
C is for Cabaret
He started his career in showbiz as a cabaret pianist, and that’s fed into his act ever since – from his outlandish look to his loosely-structured combo of comedy and music.
D is for Darkside
This was Minchin’s first comedy album, released in 2005, which introduced the world to his quirky and deeply irreverent style. Tracks from there such as ‘Not Perfect’ and the titular ‘Dark Side’ are mainstays of his setlist to this day.
E is for Eyeliner
He looks great in it.
F is for Family
Minchin is a family man; he talks often about his wife of 24 years, Sarah, and their two kids. He wrote the beautifully moving Christmas song, ‘White Wine In The Sun’, as a tribute to his then-infant daughter.
G is for Groundhog Day
Minchin adapted the beloved Bill Murray movie Groundhog Day into an Olivier Award-nominated West End and Broadway musical. It debuted in 2017 to critical acclaim, and since its 2023 West End revival it’s gone on to be staged in Melbourne, Barcelona and Tokyo.
H is for Home
Minchin has called a few different places home since his career took off – he moved to London in 2006, Los Angeles in 2014, and Sydney in 2017.
I is for Interviews
He’s done a lot of interviews, and they’re always good reads – he’s outspoken, honest almost to a fault, and super thoughtful.
J is for Jesus Christ Superstar
Outspoken atheist Minchin played the role of Judas in a 2012 UK and Ireland tour of Jesus Christ Superstar. He’s even talked about the idea of pitching a sequel to the musical.
K is for The Kinks
When he appeared on Desert Island Discs, Minchin named ‘Waterloo Sunset’ by the Kinks as his favourite song of all time. He’s also cited the band’s often tongue-in-cheek songwriting as an influence on his own blend of musicality and satire.
L is for Larrikins
This is the name of a Dreamworks animated movie Minchin made, which unfortunately was canned in a studio buy-out, never to see the light of day.
M is for Matilda
Minchin wrote the songs for the musical adaptation of Matilda, which became a global smash-hit and inspired a film in 2022. It won seven Olivier awards, and turned Minchin into the kind of creative that can basically do whatever he wants, which is always the best kind.
N is for Northampton
Though you probably already knew he was an Aussie, you may not have known that Minchin was actually born in England – his Australian parents lived in Northampton for the first months of his life.
O is for Omnipotent Ophthalmologist
This achievement in alliteration is how he sarcastically describes God in ‘Thank You God’, a hilariously biting song about the idea that an all-powerful God would spend his time correcting minor visual conditions rather than, you know, ending hunger and war.
P is for Piano
That’s Tim’s main instrument, which he picked up at the age of eight, although he soon quit taking lessons and to this day can’t sight-read.
Q is for QI
To paraphrase Meryl Streep, “QI for the letter Q? Groundbreaking.” You try and think of something, then. Anyway, Tim Minchin appeared on QI one time.
R is for ‘Rock N Roll Nerd’
This is the name of one of Minchin’s songs, but it’s also the fitting title for a behind-the-scenes documentary about him which came out in 2008. It sees him rise from a little-known performer to the star we know today, complete with wild hair and eyeliner.
S is for Songs The World Will Never Hear
That’s the name of his latest tour, which will come to the UK in June and July. The show will “look back on how a Perth cabaret pianist ended up building one of the most eclectic and extraordinary careers in entertainment.” You can expect a night that’s equal parts hilarious and moving, as the best Minchin shows are.
T is for Apart Together
This was Minchin’s first studio album of non-comedy music, which was released in 2020. It featured meditations on love, commitment and artistry, with all the clever wit and heartfelt spirit that we’ve come to expect from Tim.
U is for Upright
Minchin created and starred in this offbeat dramedy, alongside House of the Dragon star Milly Alcock.
V is for Vonnegut
Minchin has often discussed his favourite novel, Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five, and the influence it’s had on his creative work.
W is for University of Western Australia
Minchin attended this prestigious uni, studying English and theatre, and received an honorary Doctor of Letters from them in 2013. He also gave a viral commencement speech there, in which he gave students memorable advice such as: “Happiness is like an orgasm. If you think about it too much, it goes away”.
X is for X
Minchin is just as outspoken and genuine on his social media accounts as he is anywhere else, which makes him a great tweeter, or X-er, if you will (you probably won’t).
Y is for You Don’t Have to Have a Dream
This is the name of the book he released last year, an illustrated collection of his memorable university commencement addresses (see above). It collects all of his singularly life-affirming advice in one place, with some bonus commentary on his creative process.
Z is for Zombie
He compares the technically-undead Jesus Christ to one of these in a song he was not allowed to perform on the Jonathan Ross show.
