disinterested in a small life, not entirely sure how to live a big one.
Joely Poley, Puddin’ & Pie
A storytelling show about identity and figuring out who the heck we want to be.
His nanna called him ‘Joely Poley’, after the nursery rhyme, and it stuck. So did a lot of other things. Lollies. Kingston biscuits. Jimmy Barnes on the tape deck. Bob Hawke on the telly. A beer or twenty along the way. And an identity or two that took far longer to shake than they should have.
Joely Poley, Puddin’ & Pie is a solo show about growing up, and the roles we have, choose, lose, and create. Warm laughs, gentle storytelling, and an hour on being human in the everyday mess of it.
Comforting without being cheesy, funny without being unkind, and heartfelt without being heavy.
The kind of Fringe show you feel good recommending to someone you care about: a room full of people, a few good laughs, and the quiet relief of realising you are doing okay.
Coming on board and directing JC in this show is Brenda Spilva, founding director of Limelight Touring Company.
“JC’s got a real knack of being heartwarming, humorous and disarmingly honest.
“He brings the audience in to his heart and talks about some heavy things really openly, interspersed with his cheeky charm.“
Joely Poley, Puddin’ & Pie is a heartwarming, humorous solo show that leaves you feeling lighter.
About JC
JC Clapham is a Melbourne-based writer and solo performer making autobiographical work about the ordinary business of being a person.
His stage shows blend humorous storytelling with the honesty of a personal essay, finding the comic angle in heavy material without flattening it.
He has toured two previous solo shows around Australia, Humpty Dumpty Daddy and Loves Me, Loves Me Not, and returned to Fringe in 2026 with Joely Poley, Puddin’ & Pie at Adelaide Fringe, after seven years away.
JC works in corporate communications and is studying postgraduate psychology. He founded Hearten Up, a mental health training and advocacy organisation in 2019, and writes the newsletter Calm, mostly.
Upcoming shows
Melbourne Fringe
Monday 5 – Sunday 11 October 2026
7.45pm
Motley Wherehaus, 430 Queen St Melbourne
Reviews of JC’s previous shows
“A wonderfully crafted story of life, love, male role models, parenting, suicide, survival, family and resilience. The story of one bloke learning to be a man and the importance of connecting, talking and being open to others and one’s self. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll make a new friend and learn that you’re never alone.”
SANE Australia, on Humpty Dumpty Daddy
“We need more shows like this and more discussions about this subject.” “Clapham’s heart-on-his-sleeve approach brings the perfect amount of light to the proceedings, without detracting from his message.” “An honest, everyday bloke standing before a group of strangers saying life can be a struggle.” “This is not a comedy. It’s much more important than that.”
“Humpty Dumpty Daddy is a fine work every man ought to see and every woman will appreciate.” “Uncompromising pathos and a candour that startles and disarms.” “Overwhelming tenderness behind piercing eyes.” “A charming yet powerful watch, bravely and brilliantly delivered.” “He clearly knows that the showing of emotions is a strength. To do what he has done is a demonstration of incredible strength.”
“It is a portrait of disappointments and loneliness, shrouded under the impenetrable cloud of depression, wonderfully performed on the back of his successful debut with Humpty Dumpty Daddy. “In this meditation on identity and reflection, delivered with delicate wit and humour, we relate with the intricate fabric of one talented man’s story, and witness his exceptional capacity for confidence and candour.”
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