Woah, Alyssa! – Woah, Alyssa! 4

Reviewed by Bren Carruthers

Col Buckland and Fil Lescaut return to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival stage once again, with the fourth iteration of their sketch show Woah, Alyssa!. Their late-night weekend shows are fast becoming a cult favourite, having reaped a sell-out run and a Golden Gibbo nomination in 2021.

The couple draw on their open relationship, gay culture and pop culture as they rip through sketches, dance numbers and conversational comedy, generating something of a party atmosphere in their wake. The guiding hand of director Mark Bonanno (Aunty Donna) is apparent, but the panache and pride on display is unmistakably Col and Fil.

While the topics can be as niche as one might expect, ranging from Princess Di to ‘accidental’ meth use, there are certainly some more widely relatable moments. Fil’s uncomfortably supportive Serbian grandmother and Col’s flirtsome sheet-clad escapades are particular highlights.

It must be said: on this particular night, there were a number of technical difficulties, including a lightning venue change. It would be brutal to judge the duo for things beyond their control, but well worth praising them for keeping the audience thoroughly entertained and on-side despite the horrific luck. Staying true to their formula, a smattering of humility and buckets of charisma ensured that no one left unhappy, an impressive testament to their abilities.

Woah, Alyssa! 4 is on at The Westin on Friday and Saturday nights until April 23rd.

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2022/shows/woah-alyssa-4

5 good reasons to see Dazza and Keif: Reenact the Titanic Movie Playing All the Roles

1. If you like the Titanic movie but thought it would be better if they made it heaps shorter and put heaps of sik dances in it like one to Sandstorm by Da Rude

2. You hate Billy Zane

3. You love very nice drawings of sexy lady boobies

4. Dazza’s gay cousin Jordan helps the boiz out by playing all the props and scenery and he takes it VERY SERIOUSLY cos he wants to get into NIDA one day (he has auditioned 5 times)

5. You’ve always wanted to see someone who failed 5 auditions for NIDA do an interpretive dance to My Heart Will Go On while Dazza and Keif do a costume change

Dazza and Keif Reenact the Titanic Movie Playing All the Roles at the Butterfly Club Apr 11 – 17 at 10pm

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2022/shows/dazza-and-keif-reenact-the-titanic-movie-playing-all-the-roles

5 Good Reasons to see Ross Purdy: Hey Hey It’s Doomsday

1) The show is about a fascist takeover of a country by a totalitarian warmonger which I’m not sure holds much relevance currently.

2) It’s on at the late night slot of 11:15 so it’d be bedtime for all the lame-os and more room for the cool skater punks who this alternative comedy show was lovingly made for.

3) There’s a talking tumour puppet

4) A middle finger to the Australian media landscape as well as a pinky, an index finger and a thumb to middlebrow sensibilities.

5) Boasts cameos from Little Carmine from The Sopranos to Gilbert Gottfried to Schappelle Corby.

Ross Purdy performs Hey Hey It’s Doomsday at various times and venues

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2022/shows/hey-hey-it-s-doomsday

5 Good Reasons to See Dice Paper Role presents D&D Live: Myths & Legends

1. Statistics prove* that if you’ve never played D&D (Dungeons & Dragons) before, you ARE curious, and if you have played D&D before, we had you at D&D.

2. Normally nerds who like to play D&D do it in private free from the fear of ridicule; we have no such fear, we know we are ridiculous.

3. Jack will balance a colander on his head for a full hour and forty five minutes, all while doing a French accent. Oui, cést incroyable.

4. See us feign comfort as we squeeze 8 people on stage at once (some of them famous!)

5. You can listen back to the hilarious sound effect that you contributed when we release the game as a live episode on our stream (www.dicepaperrole.com).

*Go on then, look it up.

Dice Paper Role presents D&D Live: Myths & Legends is on April 8 & 9 at 10.30 with a bonus 3pm session on Saturday 9th

Tickets: www.comedyfestival.com.au/2022/shows/d-d-live-myths-and-legends

Tom Gleeson: Hard Quiz Live

Reviewed by Lisa Clark 

If you are a fan of Tom Gleeson, the TV show Hard Quiz or comedy quizzes generally why would you miss this?

Tom warms us up with fifteen minutes of quiz related standup talking about the quiz he was on, many years ago, that inspired him to create Hard Quiz, while also having deep digs at other quiz shows, Channel Ten, Ita Butrose and his ABC watching audience ie: us.

Once he’s won us over with his comedic insults, the lights are turned on so that audience members can put their hands up to be chosen as contestants. Tom gradually reveals the four Topics and picks out the most keen audience member to come up on stage and play. Unlike the television show where we are treated to some very obscure topics chosen by the contestants themselves, such as Bricks or The Human Eye, for the live show, the producers choose broader topics so that there’s bound to be someone in the audience with expert knowledge. Tonight’s topics were The Beatles, Princess Diana, Australian Prime Ministers and Seinfeld.

I can imagine how many audience members yell answers at the screen each week while watching Hard Quiz and dream about going on the show. The live version lets people have a go without having to apply or go on TV. We also get the experience of everyone in the audience saying the answers out loud and thus helping the contestants. Tom tells us off but it’s all part of the fun.

We are treated to what is basically a full live run of the wonderful, tightly produced half hour comedy quiz show complete with lit up podiums, a large screen for visuals and scoring, and the coveted Big Brass Mug displayed stage left.  Tom has some delightfully funny banter going back and forth between himself and the contestants, proving that  he doesn’t need a script to get great laughs. I love how delighted Tom is when his contestants ping insults back at him, like a proud Sensei.  We also got to see hilarious clips from the show and some fun behind the scenes as a bonus.

What more could you want, but a big musical finale? Tom is one of Australia’s top standup comedians and knows how to put on a crowd winning festival show. Take your quiz loving friends.

Hard Quiz Live is on at The Melbourne Town Hall until April 9. It will also be touring Australia.

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2022/shows/hard-quiz-live

Dane Simpson Didgeridoozy

Reviewed By Lisa Clark

If you are hoping for some didgeridoo playing along with the laughs, as his title may suggest, Dane is bringing it. Coming from winning The Adelaide Fringe Week 4 Award, it’s hard to believe that this is only his second solo Festival show. Dane is having a great time and wants to share the fun he is having with his audience

Dane from Wagga Wagga is a country boy in the city with a twinkle in his eyes and some cracking tales to tell. A lot of these involve his whacky dad who, in an alternative universe, might’ve been a standup himself. You can see where Dane’s comedic leanings came from. Dane is a brilliant storyteller who brings the characters in his stories to life with a delightful physicality that paints vivid pictures.

Dane is keen to share his Aboriginal culture with us and what better way is there than through funny story telling, music and dance? In Didgeridoozy there is a beautiful coming together of his Aboriginal entertainment tradition and his comedian entertainment tradition. His show made me think of the beginnings of modern standup in the folk scene where Billy Connolly was doing jokes between playing his banjo, singing serious and silly songs and the standup gradually took up more and more time.

The whole show was a reflection of Dane’s didgeridoo playing – his circular breathing, the bass notes grounding his work reflect the depths of his culture, permeating and supporting his comedy, while at the same time using his friendly upper notes to tell his silly stories about his dad and coming to terms with city life. Dane’s not a particularly political comedian but the politics of a proudly Aboriginal man are there. When he does impart the odd dark political joke it’s done with an impish grin, an adorable personality and some Groucho style side eye.

Didgeridoozy is an hour of warmth, cheekiness and joy.

Didgeridoozy is on at Trades Hall until April 24

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2022/shows/dane-simpson-digeridoozy