Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2015 – Page 3

Dave Warneke Dates The Entire Audience

By Lisa Clark

Having enjoyed Dave Warneke’s work in various group shows, most recently as host of the cute late night Facty Fact celebrity quiz show, I was curious to see Dave’s solo work. Well my curiosity is still not quite sated but I enjoyed Dave Warneke Dates The Entire Audience none the less.

Dave has a comedy side kick – Sam Jenkins who plays Warneke’s drunken manager cum emergency tech-hand and wingman who is the 2nd banana to Dave’s very Straight-Man. He steers the show wildly off course before it has properly begun and was in danger of dominating the show, particularly when Warneke’s main job in the beginning appears to be housekeeping. Though the housekeeping is fairly important in the rather elaborate concept.

This is a production with a very millennial sensibility, it’s got that audience participation thing happening that EVERYONE is doing this festival but is one of the best and clever incarnations I’ve seen and it is pleasingly very optional. It is a sort of Choose Your Own Adventure Show with a specially designed computer program (its surprisingly mature designer was in the audience with us) that takes the audience, via their smart phones, through a set of screens where they can tick boxes or write out suggestions that display on a large projector screen in the form of a pie chart or list. You can see the pie chart change before your eyes as everyone chooses to tick their preferred box which really adds a frisson of excitement to the room.

This adventure decides the show’s direction and reflects the conceit that we are all on a date with Dave. First up, we must choose a name so that Dave can address us as something more intimate than Audience. The purpose of having Sam Jenkins on stage steering the laptop becomes apparent as he moderates the answers putting the best ones on screen and perhaps weeding out potential lawsuits. Some of them are pretty filthy but we settle on naming ourselves Audrey. The multiple-choice questions we answer include picking the movie we will see on our date (Titanic) the Restaurant (Thai-tanic a real restaurant with hilariously dreadful on-line reviews that are read out after we choose it) and a venue for a second date.

The beauty of this is that every show will be a little different, though occasionally we are given an illusion of choice or have it, sort-of, made for us. I can’t imagine an audience NOT choosing to play the game option ‘Is it Porn’ and Dave jokingly pretty much confirms this. In amongst all this game playing Dave does crack out some actual jokes, tell some conventionally funny tales, shares some very silly pre-recorded segments and he and Sam keep things rolling along nicely. The audience, sorry Audrey, also brings a lot of the laughs to the performance and overall whether you are playing along or not this date proves to be a whole heap of fun

Dates can be unpredictable and occasionally hazardous, you have to make yourself vulnerable and Dave has definitely given himself a risky enterprise with this production. Comedians often joke about how their work reflects a desperate need to be loved by their audience and here every night Dave is asking to be loved and risking rejection by letting us decide if we would date him again. Luckily Audrey was pretty into him and unsurprisingly enjoyed the date.

Dave Warneke clearly has ambitions as a funny host rather than standard solo stand up comedian and he certainly has great hosting skills but it would be good to see more work put into the comedic writing rather than funny stunts which are often a great way to fill a festival show hour and seem to be a feature of most of his work. Still this is an ambitious, audacious and entertaining hour that would be a great show to take your single friends to. You never know where things might lead.

Dave Warneke Dates The Entire Audience at The Tuxedo Cat until April 19th (Not Wednesdays)

http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2015/season/shows/dates-the-entire-audience-dave-warneke

Khaled Khalafalla – Happy

By Luke Simmons

This man is raw. And when I say raw, I mean Eddie Murphy Raw – not newbie raw. Khaled’s appeal comes from his willingness to push boundaries and take you out of your comfort zone. And after seeing his show, it’s no wonder Jim Jeffries recently enlisted him as a support act on his Australian tour.

Khalad leapt out from the back stage curtain and started his show by launching into a “Parental Guidance” like warning to not get offended by his show – he’s here to offend everyone! After that, he reeled off a tongue in cheek gay joke that was clearly used to illustrate his point. As he moves through his show, he demonstrates a real smoothness and air of confidence that comes from someone who backs their controversial material with intelligence and their ability as a standup comedian. He’s also got a myriad of different voices that he uses to great comedic effect.

Khalad feeds off taboo subjects and considering Jeffries’ influence it was no surprise when he tackled the hot topic of feminism as it’d been only days since he shot to national notoriety thanks to a brief appearance on Triple J’s Hack. He proceeded to (jokingly) take the piss out of extreme feminists, and finishes off with a poignant statement explaining his stance on how equal rights should apply to all women across the planet – not just those born in the 1^st world. And therein lies the appeal to this comic, as he’s got an acid tongue and rarely sends up modern society without making you think about double standards. Although he plays heavily on his Egyptian heritage, he covered material from a wide enough spectrum to be considered more than simply a “race comic”. He also has the charming ability to mock himself as well as everyone else.

His experience with Jim Jefferies has no doubt influenced his exploration of the shock-jock type comedic path that he has chosen to take. It should only be a matter of time before he becomes one of Australia’s leaders of thinking man’s frat humour.

Khaled Khalafalla – Happy is on The Upstairs Lounge @ Little Sista until April 19

http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2015/season/shows/happy-khaled-khalafalla

Gentlemen of Deceit – Incognito

By Sofia Monkiewicz

Who doesn’t love a magic show? It’s not hard to enjoy being amazed by impossible illusions, astounded by card tricks, and blown away by disappearing objects. Magicians are generally pretty charismatic by definition, as they need to gain the trust and attention of their audience, but the Gentlemen of Deceit are much more than your standard magicians. These guys know how to do comedy as well.

The Gentlemen of Deceit illusionist trio is made up of Luke Hocking, Alex de la Rambelje and Vyom Sharma; all charming, all funny, and all unbelievably talented. Their latest creation is Incognito, which showcases their abilities in a fun and interactive performance in which they dazzle their audience with an array of unexplainable tricks, all carried out with a cheeky smile and an infectious sense of humour.

Most people walk into a magic show with a cynical attitude and a dedication to attempting to pinpoint exactly how the illusionists perform their tricks. These gentlemen make that impossible. From the moment they walk onto the stage, the magicians grab hold of your focus and shift it to wherever it needs to be, allowing them to shock and enthral everyone in the room, and maintain a relaxed and playful attitude that is impossible to distrust. They seamlessly take turns to perform their tricks, communicating fluidly with the audience at all times so it feels as though we each play an important part in the magic they create.

Sharma seems to be the real joker of the trio; he is relaxed, engaging, and isn’t afraid to laugh along with the audience, particularly with those he selects to take part in his onstage antics. The ever-charming Hocking is a smooth operating illusionist, who specialises in being the ‘escape artist’ of the team. He astonishes his avid audience with impossible imagery, where his body seems to be able to move through solid objects. de la Rambelje is the more serious member of this trio of deceptive gentlemen, but only by comparison. Theatrical and enchanting, with some fairly mediocre drawing skills, his ‘health smoothie’ act leaves everybody both completely impressed and incredibly confused.

Shows like Incognito require meticulous preparation to make everything run smoothly, and Sharma, Hocking and de la Rambelje, along with director Daniel Cammin, have put together a deceptively effortless production. The pace is appropriately fast, the timing impeccable, and the illusions unbelievable, and it all wraps up with a grand finale that will, quite simply, blow your mind.

These magicians are delightfully deceitful, and will leave you on the edge of your seat desperately wondering just how they are able to consistently fool their admiring crowd. And as you exit the room, there is only one possible explanation for this ridiculously phenomenal performance: it must be magic.

Incognito is on at Trades Hall until April 19.

http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2015/season/shows/incognito-gentlemen-of-deceit

Paul Verhoeven – Tell Me Lies

By Elyce Phillips

From a young age, Paul Verhoeven has been a compulsive liar. He has lied to his parents, his classmates, and even to himself. In Tell Me Lies, Verhoeven makes his stand-up debut, talking about the origins of his untruthful ways. His tall tales are funny, weird and endlessly entertaining.

Verhoeven is no stranger to live comedy. He has previously performed as one quarter of sketch group Lords of Luxury. This show is new territory, however, as much of the material in Tell Me Lies is personal. We hear the story of his first lie, at the age of 11, and are treated to an entry from his childhood diary – a document that is more fantasy than biography. Verhoeven also speaks to the problems that can arise from being honest, telling a truly awkward story about the time he opened up to a partner about what he wanted in the bedroom.

Verhoeven is ridiculously likeable and brings the energy of a whole barrel of extremely excited puppies to the stage. His trips up in his delivery every now and then, and there’s an occasional groan-worthy punchline, but you can’t help being swept up by his infectious enthusiasm. For a show about lies, Verhoeven does a good job of sounding honest, even in some of his more extraordinary stories. The show is well-constructed, with a continuing thread about his relationship with his brother providing some grounding and depth.

Tell Me Lies is an impressive and confident first foray into stand-up comedy. Verhoeven has a knack for storytelling, striking a balance between whimsy and reality to create a thoroughly hilarious show.

A note for parents – while Verhoeven may be great with the kids on Steam Punks, this is definitely not a show for the young ones, so best leave them at home.

Paul Verhoeven – Tell Me Lies is on at Northcote Town Hall until April 18

http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2015/season/shows/tell-me-lies-paul-verhoeven

Justin Hamilton – Snacks!

By Elyce Phillips

Things have changed since Justin Hamilton was a kid. Comics are now a ubiquitous part of pop culture, binge drinking is officially frowned upon and mobile phones have drastically altered the way we communicate. And while most of those changes have been for the better, sometimes it’s nice to reminisce about the way things were. That’s what we get in Snacks! – an entertaining collection of bite-sized pieces of comedy about nerds, booze and getting older.

Justin Hamilton has got to be the friendliest comedian at the festival. Before the show, he wandered down the line, checking how we were all doing. As we entered the venue, he greeted us individually, making sure everyone was ready before the show got underway. And as we left, he was at the door again, thanking us all for coming. Perhaps it’s part of Hamilton’s New Year’s resolution to become a better person. It helped to create a really nice, relaxed energy in the room, as though Hamilton were talking to us, rather than at us. From the minute the show begins, you know that Hamilton is an old hand. His delivery is pitch-perfect and he connects with everyone in the audience.

There’s nothing particularly revelatory in this show – we’re all aware by now that tequila is the devil – but Hamilton’s perspective on ageing feels fresh. The stories he tells are personal, but relatable, and he creates vivid pictures with his words. A description of his Mum dealing with a cat in the backyard was especially hilarious. The jokes are so quick-witted and the tales so engrossing that you leave wondering where on earth the hour went. It just flies by.

Snacks! is packed full of laughs and memorable stories, delivered by an absolute pro. I know I’m going to be singing Hamilton’s snacks song for a long while to come.

Justin Hamilton – Snacks! is on at Melbourne Town Hall until April 18

http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2015/season/shows/snacks-justin-hamilton

Josh Earl – Square Peg

By Elyce Phillips

Josh Earl has a history of struggling to fit in. From growing up in Tasmania to making friends as an adult, he’s always been a bit out of place. In Square Peg, Earl explores the idea of finding your tribe. Through a witty collection of songs and stories, we are transported through Earl’s life, right up to his stint as host of Spicks and Specks. It’s an interesting story that will have you laughing the whole way through.

Earl’s love of music is at the heart of this show – both in the story and in his performance. His musical talent is on display from the get-go. The songs in Square Peg are well-crafted and never fail to amuse, with their clever lyrics and fun melodies. A song from the perspective of a local footy club coach back in his home town of Burnie was a particular stand-out and a good representative of Earl’s style – sweetly funny, lovingly mocking and never punching down.

Although the songs form the backbone of Square Peg, the stand-up elements of the show are just as strong. Earl’s story about his discovery of Nick Cave had the audience in fits of laughter, helped along by some fantastic impersonations of his parents hosting a dinner party. A short play in the middle of the show is absolutely hilarious and was the highlight of the show for me. Earl’s on-stage persona is very likeable. He interacts with the audience well, drawing them in and even helping out-of-towners with the more obscure Australian pop culture references.

Square Peg is a heart-warming piece of work from a talented musical comedian. Earl’s storytelling is engaging, affable and above all, funny. If you’ve ever felt out of place in the world, this show is for you.

Josh Earl – Square Peg is on at the Victoria Hotel until April 19

http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2015/season/shows/square-peg-josh-earl