Emma Holland’s trinkets

FUNNY-woman Emma Holland is bringing her latest show, Don’t Touch My Trinkets, to the region on September 13.

Quirky and quick-witted, Holland is one of Australia’s new breed of rising comic stars.

The Canberra-born, now Brisbane-based comic said she became obsessed with the art early on.

“I didn’t know stand-up was a job until I was 18, and before that, I loved comedy, but I didn’t realise it was something you were allowed to do,” Holland said.

“When I was studying photography, I listened to a lot of stand-up in the darkroom and fell in love with it, and in my gap year after uni, I thought I’d have a crack.

“You get a real rush from your first laugh; it’s like skydiving.

“There’s this adrenaline that you can’t recreate anywhere else, and I think that contributed, but what made me stick with it was the tight community of comedians in Canberra who immediately welcomed me.”

The comedian, collage artist and photographer is a television regular on House of Games, Have You Been Paying Attention? and Thank God You’re Here. She has hosted episodes of The Cheap Seats and recently won season four of Taskmaster Australia.

The current entertainment climate is fertile ground for working comedians, offering a plethora of television, live, and digital platform opportunities for their work.

“I’ve been fairly lucky and can only speak from my experience, but I haven’t had too much trouble finding the work, and it’s nice to be able to earn a living,” Holland said.

“When I first got my job, Have You Been Paying Attention? I was 25, and even though it was only five years ago, it was still rare at that time to take a risk on a young female newbie.

“Working Dog have always been at the forefront of instigating those changes.

“It feels like there’s more space now for more diverse voices, and that’s certainly one of the production companies that has done that for the industry.”

Holland is effusive about the region and said her last date in Brunswick Heads had been her favourite. “It’s the best place in Australia,” she said.

“I love the room, and I’ve been back multiple times since because I love the area and the community so much.

“I also made a bunch of friends when my husband and I went to find food after the show and ended up sitting down with a group of people – now we visit them all the time.”

However, touring regionally has an even deeper resonance for the comedian.

“I love the intimacy that you don’t get in bigger cities, and it’s a lot like what I had in Canberra,” she said.

“It’s why I stayed with comedy, for the community, and doing regional venues and smaller towns reminds me of that.

“When I visit these towns, I almost feel like I’m honouring what made me start in the first place.”

For tickets, visit brunswickpicturehouse.com/emma-holland-13-sep .