Jan Cornall

Who is Jan Cornall?

Jan Cornall is an Australian singer, comedian and writer. Known for her contributions to queer music through the group Baba Yaga during the 1970s and the hit musical Failing in Love Again, Jan Cornall was a leader in the women’s comedy and cabaret resurgence of the early 1980s. She has contributed to Australian community theatre, addressing issues facing regional and rural women, and had a long involvement in forging cross cultural links with Indonesian and Australian writers and artists.

Born in Melbourne, Australia, Jan Cornall started performing at young age in school plays and musicals. She studied speech and drama at Melbourne Teacher’s college under the tutelage of Max Gillies. She began her performance career as a founding member of the Tribe experimental theatre group in 1968. During this time they performed ‘Happenings’, ‘Guerilla Theatre’ and ‘Street Theatre’, leading the Vietnam War moratorium marches in Melbourne with a series of street performances. The Tribe group were regulars at the famous La Mama Theatre where they met and later merged with the Australian Performing Group at the Pram Factory Theatre.