Staying Home: Comedian Colin Lane has chosen laughter in isolation

Staying Home is a series of interviews with well-known Australians to learn how they are dealing with isolation and social distancing.

Colin Lane, one half of comedy duo Lano & Woodley, spent most of lockdown working with his stage partner Frank Woodley over Zoom as well as moving house with his family. There were a few impulse online purchases and plenty of cancelled gigs to cry about, but the former Ready Steady Cook TV host also found some peace in the kitchen.

“The kitchen has become a very important place over the past few months,” says Lane.

“But I don’t mind it; we have a roster and stick to it so we know who is in charge of dinner that night. As my deceased mother would say, it’s not the cooking that’s the problem, it’s figuring out what to cook.”

With a cancelled Melbourne International Comedy Festival season behind them, Lane admits the duo could have been depressed or turned on the laughs – admittedly the latter’s not easy, even if your day job is as a comedian.

“It has been really challenging. I got stuck reading the news too much, then was unable to focus on other things. It was tough for sure,” says Lane.

For now fans can watch last year’s stage show Fly on Amazon Prime.

“I also spend a lot of time on cruises doing shows so that’s all a bit up in the air,” Lane says.

“But I hear 2021 bookings are looking good. I just got back from a cruise in January with the family and did four days again after returning to Melbourne in the same month. I actually love it,” he says.

Cooking tip

I did two seasons of Ready Steady Cook – that’s 260 episodes and what did I learn? It all comes down to butter and salt. I think my cookbook would be 100 Magical Meals with Mince – it would feature shepherd’s pie, spaghetti bolognese, vegetable and mince soup, and tacos.

DIY project

I am a bit shit at handy work. I could do it myself or pay somebody else a fortune to do it properly. I like jobs I can achieve. I don’t try anything that is too complicated. I don’t like tools. We have just moved into a new house. I recently mowed the lawns and whipper-snipped the weeds and think I am a terrific human and deserve beer for that.

Reading

I did do a book club meeting on Zoom with nine people. We read Bruny by Heather Rose – it’s interesting because it’s about China influencing the economy and population of Tasmania by building a six-lane highway from Hobart to Bruny Island. That’s kind of poignant right now.

What are you baking/making

Larb gai chicken, san choy bow and sticky chicken wings – very Asian-focused during isolation. And I also love an old-school roast chicken on a Sunday.

What are you planning?

Frank and I have been discussing what we will do for the comedy festival next year. I was supposed to be doing an extensive regional tour with my old mate and opera singer Dave Hobson called In Tails starting late May. Now we might make a CD of the songs and see how that goes. 

Latest home purchase

We recently bought an electric bike for our 15-year-old son. We still can’t decide if we want it and he keeps going to unpack it, but we tell him no, because we might send it back. It sits there like a siren frustrating the hell out of him.

Favourite time of day

8pm when we finish dinner and have a discussion about whether we keep watching Ozark or Game of Thrones.

Survival tip during social distancing

Make the bed; you’ve achieved something and you have structure. That would be my advice. And go outside and exercise.

Latest app downloaded

There is an app called Pokerrr 2. I play online poker with friends and we start with a Zoom conversation and play on our phones.