Australian trio Aunty Donna began their career with a now iconic two-star theatre comedy review. Today, they have rocketed to the pantheon of Netflix stardom on a phenomenal adventure. Mark Samual Bonanno, Broden Kelly, and Zachary Ruane form this rabble-rousing trio. Known for their reputation for high-energy live shows and smart, crafty multimedia production, together they’ve formed a new U.K.-based production company Haven’t You Done Well. They even started a comedy production company – Grouse House Comedy Network – that focuses on developing new talent in addition to starring in their own creations.
The trio’s major breakthrough was the viral success of their 2018 hit sketch, “Always Room for Christmas Pud.” This largely improvised piece connected with audiences in a big way, racking up over 4.3 million views on YouTube. Since its broadcast, “Always Room for Christmas Pud” has become an annual cultural celebration for fans. This cherished tradition has led to an enduring inside joke that flourishes in Aunty Donna’s fandom.
Aunty Donna have been on three national tours of America, two Australia tours, and one each to New Zealand, Ireland, the UK and Canada. From there they’ve crossed into thrilling episodic and musical territories. They’ve produced two television series, and recorded an award-winning studio album. Their latest live show, DREM, features their most freewheeling production to date. In doing so it vividly conveys their continued willingness to innovate.
Besides its founding trio, the talent team features a number of important contributors. Head writer and stage director Sam Lingham, director Max Miller, and composer Thomas Zahariou are integral to shaping Aunty Donna’s artistic vision. Their continued work together has led them to cross paths with major comedic talents including Shaun Micallef, Tony Martin and Weird Al Yankovic. This kind of exposure has catapulted their credibility in the ironic, committed-funny-people space.
For those who’ve seen Aunty Donna’s live performances, it can sometimes feel like an “assault on the senses.” Then they take everybody on this cosmic trip of nonsense goofiness. Bonanno insists with righteous conviction that DREM is their freest creation yet. He thinks it’s remarkable for the variety of ideas and for the creative way in which they’ve been assembled. Production-wise, I’m the most excited about it because we’re doing things that we’ve never done before.
The group’s success is due in large part to their desire to focus on developing themselves as artists first and foremost. Aunty Donna is behind Haven’t You Done Well and Grouse House. With these efforts, they are committed to developing talent and providing opportunities for those around them in the industry. Ruane went on to emphasize how important these forums are. Most importantly, he added, they highlight a wealth of talented people ready to shine if only they had a chance.
“We see these people that are really, really good … they just need that opportunity.” – Zachary Ruane
Their journey has not been without challenges. In the early days of their career, Ruane described a tough landscape for comedians: “When we were starting, there were three or four people at festivals and networks that had to like what you did, and if they didn’t like what you did, then good luck to you.” This limitation creates the same kind of challenge we know independent artists face across the industry in this ongoing war for visibility and discovery.
While these hurdles would have deterred many, Aunty Donna have continued to stick to their artistic vision. Kelly remarked on their unique approach to comedy: “I really struggle with that because I think everything that we are doing is really saying something really simple, and that is that ‘If you’re a man, it’s okay to look silly or to be stupid. It’s okay to be weird.’” This point of view undoubtedly rings true to stamina audiences who are drawn to the authenticity and vulnerability evident in performance.
The collective has tackled important social issues through their work. Kelly highlighted the need for diversity in representation within the arts: “Often we’ve seen in places we’ve made shows before that the shows they make need to be for everyone at one time… maybe it’s giving chances to diverse people to represent what they want to represent.” This commitment to accessibility is apparent in their highly collaborative processes, led by the Participants.
Aunty Donna’s influence goes way past their own productions. And more recently, this past year, they’ve released Black Summer and The Order. Other standouts have included Aunty Donna’s Coffee Café, with guest stars Richard Roxburgh and Matt Doran, and Aunty Donna’s Big Ol’ House of Fun co-produced with Ed Helms Pacific Electric Picture Company. Whether wizarding or bitching about reality television, both shows are perfect examples of the trio’s skill to infuse comedy with engrossing stories.
As Aunty Donna continues to evolve, they remain grounded in their mission to entertain and uplift audiences. Bonanno encapsulated this philosophy by stating, “They don’t come to us to see us working hard; they come to us to forget about the hard work they’ve just done, to forget about their struggles … so we need to just get up there and have fun.”
“It’s almost like we don’t need to answer that question; the world answered the question for us.” – Zachary Ruane
Aunty Donna represents everything that can be achieved with a unique vision, shared purpose, and unwavering commitment to their craft. With their sights set on new horizons, including an exciting partnership with Netflix, they are poised to reach even greater heights while remaining true to their roots.
