Celia Paquola on inflatable kayaks and the comedy in complaining

COMEDIAN Celia Pacquola wasn’t planning on doing a show in 2026, then her boyfriend gave her an inflatable kayak for her birthday.

As a result, Brunswick Heads audiences will have the opportunity to test run Pacquola’s brand-new show, Gift Horse, later this month, about the people we love and the things they give us that we hate.

“The last live show I did was about meeting my boyfriend, having a baby, and before that, I hadn’t done a show for five years because of lockdown,” Pacquola said.

“Unfortunately, for my birthday, my boyfriend gave me an inflatable kayak. So, that’s the show. It’s about that proverb, ‘Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth’, which means, don’t complain about a present, and this show is basically 55 minutes of complaining.

“I mean, it’s just a ridiculous present. It’s like giving a bicycle to a cat. Sure, but why? It’s confusing.

“You can’t give me an inflatable kayak knowing that I’m a professional turnout comedian and not think that I’m gonna use that, but he’s OK with me talking about it, because that’s how we pay the bills.”

The multi-award-winning stand-up comedian, actor, writer and television presenter is a popular face on Australian television and stages.

Her work in Utopia, and with close friend and colleague Luke McGregor in Rosehaven, endeared her to a broad TV audience. Her new series, Dog Park, is set to screen on the ABC in early February.

“Of all those things, my favourite is doing all of them. I’m happiest when I have variety. If I’m only doing one thing, it puts a lot of pressure on it, and I like them all for different reasons,” Pacquola said.

“I like stand-up because I can say whatever I want, and I like acting because it’s pleasant to have someone else tell me what to say, and I love acting for pretending.

“I feel like it’s good to keep people on their toes in terms of what you’re capable of, so you’re not pigeonholed.

“I like writing. I wrote an episode of Love Me, and I co-wrote Rosehaven. I love writing and world-building because, as someone who has anxiety, it is delicious to write scripts where you can control everything.

“Anxiety is all about having no control and out of control, and what’s going to happen and writing a script, I can pinpoint exactly what I’m going to say and how they’re going to feel and how it’s going to go down.”

The busy mum of a three-year-old was relishing preparing for Christmas and the holiday break.

“It does mean, unfortunately, I’m going to have to go kayaking,” Pacquola said.

“We haven’t done it yet, but now, because of me turning it into a show, it’s gonna have to happen.

“If you’re a band and you write a hit song, you can just keep playing it for 50 years, but with stand-up, you’re only as good as your last joke.

“For me, stand-up is a natural part of my life, and I knew if I left it to the following year, I’d have so many more dumb presents by then, and the kayak would be old news and not as funny anymore.”

Gift Horse runs for four nights from January 18-21.

For tickets, visit brunswickpicturehouse.com/celia-pacquola-gift-horse-18-21-jan