Lorin Clarke's documentary 'But Also John Clarke' examines the forces that created the iconic character Fred Dagg and the reinvention that came with the satirist's move from New Zealand to Australia. The film explores how John Clarke, who died suddenly in 2017 at age 68, became one of the most beloved comedians in both countries.
In a career spanning nearly 40 years, Clarke played thousands of characters. In New Zealand he was Fred Dagg, a sheep farmer and gumboot philosopher. In Australia he was best known as one half of Clarke and Dawe, skewering politicians and businessmen. His daughter Lorin explains his approach: 'If you ask me to play Hamlet, Hamlet comes from Palmerston North.'
The documentary features interviews with friends and colleagues including Sam Neill, who describes Clarke as a polymath, and Ben Elton, who notes that Clarke's targets often did not realise they had been skewered until the following day. The film originally had a longer title, 'Not Only Fred Dagg But Also John Clarke', but it was shortened for practical reasons, much to Lorin's annoyance.
Clarke's character Fred Dagg emerged in the early 1970s, puncturing the pretensions of New Zealand broadcasters who still spoke with British accents. Rhys Darby describes Dagg as 'a kick in the head with a gumboot we all kind of needed'. The character became a cultural phenomenon, but also made enemies, leading Clarke to move to Australia in 1977 for a chance at reinvention.
After his death, Clarke's Dagg costume went on display at Te Papa Museum in Wellington. The documentary celebrates his legacy as a satirist who spoke truth to power, with former Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull noting that Clarke's satire 'made our democracy richer and stronger'.
