The Music and Comedy of JunNk: An Interview With Those Funny Guys
23 Aug 2016
A funny interview with the JuNk that with their music and comedy entertain audiences ashore and at sea.Using nothing but old. rubbish, these four hilarious and talented guys have created a fun and dynamic show overflowing with captivating percussion, incredible acappella singing, innovative musical creations, new age comedy and boundless energy. Join JunNk in an unpredictable world of music and laughter and enjoy an unforgettable live show that’s fun for all the family!
1) How and when did you discover this unique talent? / 2) How was the group formed?
We came together after conceiving the idea in performing arts college, where we all collaborated together for an assignment and chose to perform and make music using rubbish. A year after graduating it was suggested to re-visit the same intriguing concept and the show has continued to grow and develop ever since!
3) How do you decide what ‘junk’ to use as instruments?
In the beginning it was more about what we could get our hands on! Then as the years went past and the show developed we started to find certain bits of junk that really worked, sometimes by thinking logically about what would fulfil the needs of the show and other times by simply walking around somewhere like B&Q with a pair of drumsticks and seeing what sounds good!
4) Do you remember the first big break through as JunNk?
Our first big breakthrough was probably winning Sky 1’s ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’, a talent show in which contestants try and last for 100 seconds and impress the studio audience or get ejected. Luckily, we lasted and were fortunate enough to win a large sum of prize money, which enabled us to buy some much needed sound and set equipment. This then helped us to the next stage and meant that we could really start chasing the dream of making JunNk a full-time gig.
5) Who was your first cruise line contract with?
Our first cruise gig was on Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas back in 2012 in the warm and sunny Mediterranean destination of Palma - a perfect debut!
6) You have performed on many cruise lines now, do you have a favourite line or ship and why?
We like all of them a lot to be honest, but Disney seems to stick out as a favourite for us, particularly the Disney Magic. It’s the ship on which we’ve done most of our cruises and so feels a little like a second home to us. We’re good friends with a lot of the crew, the itineraries are great and the show itself gets received extremely well, so it’s only natural that we enjoy working on them so much!
7) Has anything ever gone wrong during a show at sea or on land?
Nothing major really, just general injuries every now again such as someone’s head being cut open by a flying plastic disc or falling off the stage. Ya know, the usual stuff!
8) Which cruise line do you think has the best audience or atmosphere?
Both Disney and Royal Caribbean seem to have the best audiences and atmospheres. The shows we do for both of them are brilliantly received and the atmosphere around the ship afterwards is always electric, so we really enjoy working on their ships and getting to be a part of the entertainment they have on offer.
9) Which cruise line do you think offers the best food?
Celebrity, without a doubt. Their food is outstanding!
10) When will you be next performing on a cruise ship?
Three days after we get back from Edinburgh Fringe Festival we go back onto the Disney Magic in the Mediterranean. Can’t wait!
11) What’s next for JunNk?
Once we’ve finished up in Edinburgh we have plenty lined up, including more cruises, club gigs, corporates, showcases and hopefully some UK theatre shows as well.