Liz Hicklin, a 95-year-old resident of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, is redefining the concept of retirement by launching a career in standup comedy. After finding success at the 2023 Clunes Booktown festival, she now performs under the show title 95 and Still Alive, using her decades of life experience to challenge stereotypes about aging.
How a Nonagenarian Found the Stage
Hicklin’s transition to comedy began with a desire to combat the feeling that her life was slowing down. At 92, she entered a poetry slam at the 2023 Clunes Booktown festival. As the only nonagenarian contestant, she brought a unique perspective to the stage, famously swearing because she believed it was a requirement of the form. She won the competition, which provided the confidence to pursue standup.
Her current act, which she refers to as “sit-down standup comedy,” features jokes about aging, grief, and sex. She even incorporates her $1,300 lightweight pink walking frame into her routine, jokingly asking audiences, “Sexy, isn’t it?”
Hicklin’s creative pursuits extend beyond comedy. She famously knitted a patchwork cardigan inspired by one worn by Harry Styles, which she spotted at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum. When a hot day prevented her granddaughters from wearing it to a concert, she wore it on stage herself.
The Power of Lived Experience
Hicklin’s comedic perspective is rooted in a lifetime of diverse roles, including nurse, pet shop owner, porcelain doll-maker, and memoirist. Born in England, she moved to Australia after raising three children and enduring significant personal loss, including the death of two daughters by suicide.
Her past also includes a notable connection to literary history. While living in Cambridge as a young woman, she dated the future British poet laureate Ted Hughes. She later sold letters Hughes had written to her to the British Library for £10,000. These letters are now preserved in a vault alongside manuscripts from Shakespeare and Mozart.
Can a Positive Mindset Improve Aging?
Hicklin attributes her ability to bloom in her 90s to maintaining an active lifestyle and a positive outlook. She participates in aqua aerobics and attends a local writers’ group where many members are half her age. Research has indicated that positive attitudes toward aging can help people navigate the process more effectively, a theory Hicklin supports by noting she did not focus on getting older until she was well past 90.
Her refusal to conform to age-related expectations is clear. During a recent flight, when a flight attendant asked if her agent and friend, Jacinta Parsons, was her daughter, Hicklin playfully corrected him by saying, “Oh no, she’s my lover.”
Pro Tips for Staying Active at Any Age
- Find a project: Hicklin emphasizes that having a goal, such as her upcoming show Sylvia Plath Stole My Boyfriend, provides a reason to keep moving.
- Stay social: Engaging with different age groups, such as her writers’ group, helps maintain mental sharpness.
- Embrace humor: Using comedy to address difficult topics like grief can be a powerful way to process life experiences.
FAQ
Where can I see Liz Hicklin perform?
Her show 95 & Still Alive is scheduled to appear as part of the Glen Eira Storytelling festival on June 27, 2026.
What is the next goal on her bucket list?
Hicklin has set her sights on appearing on The Graham Norton Show.
What inspired her children’s book, Peter the Parachute?
The book was inspired by a recurring image of a tiny parachutist she noticed in her daughter’s paintings, which she later interpreted as a symbol for those struggling with mental illness.
Have you been inspired by someone challenging the status quo in their later years? Share your thoughts in the comments below or subscribe to our newsletter for more stories on life and longevity.
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