Category: Reviews

Tom Lang : Love, Factually

By Colin Flaherty

Is love purely a chemical process? What animal has the largest testicles? If you want to find out, Tom Lang has put his day job as a Science Educator to perfect use in Love Factually, a comedic lecture exploring the science of love and sex, the birds and the bees and many other animals.

Though not a show of continuous rolling on the floor guffawing, it provided a good balance between education and jokes. Some of the examples presented were strange enough to provide their own laughs but when combined Lang’s own observational quips, he kept us smiling and regularly giggling. His lines were peppered with many Freudian slips; just how many were deliberate was debatable, but it added some welcome innuendo to the slightly clinical proceedings.

As Lang presented his spiel, PowerPoint slides were displayed on a screen above the stage. Images of the animals, often engaged in amusing and fascinating courtship rituals, gave visual emphasis to the weird and wonderful facts that were presented to us. The odd celebrity popped up where their appearance or behaviour mimicked that of the animal at hand to provide additional chuckles. His own “hand drawn” diagrams were cute and amusingly crude. Their use in illustrating the process of evolution and natural selection of various species was effective, often showing a rather graphic aftermath involving an obviously favourite reptile.

A raffle used to illustrate the utopian sex life of a species of primate was clear in its intent but the conclusion was a bit hazy. On the up side, an audience member will receive a treat with not much effort.

The show was broken up with an interval of sorts. A conservation video was screened about a certain microscopic creature of human nether regions that has been facing extinction over recent years. His expectation of it receiving huge laughs fell a little short, but it was certainly worth a gentle chuckle.

This was a fun hour in the company of a confident performer that is sure make you more knowledgeable at its conclusion. You certainly won’t look at the custom of giving flowers as a romantic gesture the same way again.

Love, Factually is on at The Duke of Wellington Hotel until April 7
http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2014/season/shows/love-factually-tom-lang

Edge!

By Lisa Clark

Edge begins as a female mirror to Lessons with Luis. Stella is the star in her family, jealous of anyone else getting a hint of limelight, Ashley is her silent suffering cousin who organises the props and other stage managing duties and occasionally gets to perform. Stella’s mother is in the US trying to get Stella TV work in the pilot season but she is ever present, attached to Stella via Bluetooth, guiding Stella through the performance and we only hear Stella’s side of the conversation.

The first half of the show is a fairly innocuous, entertaining character study of a precocious attention-seeking eleven year old with lots of build-up and sizzle as Stella presents her live show-reel for us. There is a sense that we might just be an imaginary audience watching a girl playing at being a star in her bedroom. The actual conceit of the Edge is that she is playing to a room full of entertainment industry heavies trying to re-invent her image from child internet sensation to a more mature almost-teen pop idol. I must admit that I found some of it slightly repetitive and annoying in the middle (as anyone being held captive by an irritatingly vivacious eleven year old would) but was confident that there was a reason that this show had won best comedy show at Melbourne Fringe last year and it turned out that everything was an all important set up for what was to come as the show gradually morphed into something much darker.

The humour becomes pitch black as Stella displays her Edge and the child star references go from Bindi Irwin and Rebecca Black to Nikki Webster, Britney Spiers and of course Miley Cyrus. Edge is not just about children in the media and the adults who exploit them but also about the sexualisation of children and the infantilism of women. Phew. The tone is perfect however and even when things feel like they are heading over the edge things never get out of hand and the audience’s potential unease is kept in check by the laughs and Stella’s wide-eyed naivetĂ©.

Isabel Angus is remarkable as Stella with all the mannerisms, and expressions of an eager to please 11 year old trying to appear older than she is, but also with that underlying vulnerability that proves that she is still a child. At the same time you never forget during the show that Isabel the grown woman is playing the child which helps keep things comedic. We see less of Rachel Davis but she holds her own as the antithesis of Stella’s extraverted character, Ashley, exuding as much charisma as Isabel in her small but vital role. They’ve created an amazing, intelligent and entertaining piece of theatre and deserve an appreciative audience. It’s having a short run, so get to it!

Edge! is on at The Tuxedo Cat until April 8
http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2014/season/shows/edge

Joel Creasey : Rock God

By Ellyse ‘O Halleran


In this hilarious light-hearted show ‘Rock God’, Joel Creasey tells audiences about dating life, party life and tales of life as a fan-boy. He charms his audience with embarrassing encounters and run-ins he has had with his idols. He begins with a moving account of how his childhood hero, a Playschool host, let him down in his youth.

Creasey’s shows get bigger and better every year; he’s definitely one to keep an eye on. He recently supported Joan Rivers in New York City so you know he just has to be fabulous. The show is upbeat and perfect if you want to sit back and be absorbed by Creasey’s stories.

Creasey’s anecdotes are witty and fresh and his ability to transition from self-deprecation to sass in seconds is splendid. He has a sweet, whimsical demeanor as he proudly tells the crowd of instances where he channeled his inner bitch to deal with people giving him a rough time. In a nutshell, don’t throw shade or Joel Creasey will sleep with your Zumba instructor.

Creaseys is young, witty and current. The show is perfect for anyone who likes pop culture or grew up in the 90s. It’s great to see such a fresh comedian with the ability to engage with a sold out crowd using only a microphone and a collection of vibrant stories. Having said that, I would like to have seen just a little bit more Zumba.

Rock God is on at the Melb Town Hall – Powder Room and Swiss Club until April 20
http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2014/season/shows/rock-god-joel-creasey

Wolf Creek The Musical

By Caitlin Crowley

You don’t need to have seen Wolf Creek the film to be familiar with the story – all-round Aussie bloke psychopath abducts foreign backpackers in the outback for torture and murder sessions. It’s hardly the stuff of musical theatre but that is precisely the point. The cast are quick to admit that they have taken some liberties with the story but what the hell – they’ve taken liberties with the whole musical theatre genre.

Written by Adelaide comedians James McCann and 2013 RAW Comedy winner Demi Lardner Wolf Creek the Musical has already enjoyed successful runs at both Melbourne and Adelaide Fringe Festivals. There’s quite a buzz around this show, and rightly so. This is one hour of laugh-out-loud, charmingly silly fun.

There’s a deliberate B-grade feel to the show, with handmade props, pantomime style gender -swapping roles and drawn-on beards. The ensemble cast is consistently good. McCann, perched to the side of the stage, plays musical accompaniment, sound effects and any necessary expositional filler.

It takes real talent to perform bad dance moves but the very funny Hayman Kent, as one of the two British backpackers, pulls it off perfectly. Chris Knight, complete with beard and blonde wig, is the ‘hot’ friend and Lardner is hilarious as the thick Greek-Australian guy. It will come as no surprise to anyone that our trio’s outback adventure soon goes awry.

Kel Balnaves as a mad-eyed murderer is delightfully menacing and Angus Hodge in multiple roles steals almost every scene he’s in. Most of the songs are punchy although Knight seems to have drawn the short straw by comparison although he makes up for it with an extended over-the-top death scene. The groan-inducing blue gags work for the most part but there was probably one too many “rape dungeons” for this reviewer.

If you’re into bad rhymes, tragic puns and awkward dancing then you’ll really enjoy this show. Check out this talented bunch of weirdos – they’re in murderously good form.

Wolf Creek The Musical is on at Trades Hall – Old Council Chambers until April 20
http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2014/season/shows/wolf-creek-the-musical

Paul Foot : Words

By Elyce Phillips

In the opening minutes of ‘Words’, Paul Foot does his best to set the audience’s mind at ease. He gives a rough running order of the show’s themes, just to make sure that no-one gets caught off guard. However if, like myself, you haven’t seen a Paul Foot show before, no amount of introductory explanation is going to prepare you for what’s to come. ‘Words’ is frequently surprising, a little bit controversial and very, very funny.

Foot is a unique figure in the world of stand-up. He spasms across the stage in fits and starts, occasionally pausing to wrack his brain and make sure that his train of thought is correct. And it always is. Despite taking some staggering leaps of logic, when Foot gets to the end of his rambling path of argument, you find yourself seeing the sense in views on masculinity and biology that were initially absurd. Foot’s delivery style is hypnotic at times. He draws you with him as he diverts on screeching loops about inane party guests, only to jolt back to the topic at hand with a return to comparative calmness.

‘Words’ is more than straightforward stand-up. Foot’s section of madness is a wonderful kind of surrealist poetry. Words crash into each other to form meaningless phrases that are delivered with total sincerity. It’s a fascinating bit of comedy. The words have no grounding in reality and mean something different to everyone. For four and a bit minutes you find yourself in a room full of people laughing together for unknown reasons. Foot’s ‘disturbances’ are also scattered through the show – hilarious thoughts that feel like they tell an entire story in a sentence or two.

While most of the show is, as Foot points out, carefully written, his quick wit was on display in moments of audience interaction. Stray garbled comments from overenthusiastic audience members inspired a new Q and A section of the show. A lone dissatisfied man voicing his disapproval in the final minutes led to a wonderfully frenetic diatribe on the subjectivity of opinions, resulting in the man walking out, to the cheers of the rest of the audience.

‘Words’ is an incredibly refreshing piece of stand-up from a masterful comedian. You may not always understand what is going on or how you got there, but you will definitely find yourself laughing.

A heads up – Paul Foot sells merchandise and takes photos up the back at the end of his show, so leave a bit of room in your schedule after this one!

Words is on at The Hi-Fi until April 20
http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2014/season/shows/words-paul-foot

Tegan Higginbotham in Game Changer

By Alanta Colley

 

The brilliant Tegan Higginbotham is back this Comedy Festival with the third instalment of her sports-themed comedy trilogy; ‘Game Changer’. ‘Game Changer explores everything from Pole ‘Sports’ (no longer Pole Dancing), to the Legend’s league, boxing and to Tegan’s continuing devotion to AFL. How do you change the game when it comes to the tradition-steeped world of sport?

Higginbotham blends commentary of new trends in sport with personal reflections on what sport has meant for her. She examines her personal attitudes and comfort with the ‘sexiness’ of certain new-wave sports. Higginbotham takes the ‘method’ approach to her comedy; after all, if you’re going to talk about boxing or pole dancing – surely first you need to do it! We learn about Tegan’s personal adventures in Pole dancing lessons. Imagine if more comedians committed to their material in the way Higginbotham does!

Tegan poses important observations to us about how female athletes must sell sex as well as skill to gain recognition. Is the formerly Lingerie now ‘Legends’ League demeaning or empowering to those who participate? And who gets to decide which; the players or the punters? Is the very existence of the sport putting that question in the spot light?

The method with which Higginbotham explores her personal relationship with sport and what it has meant to her personally takes a unique place on the comedy scene. Higginbotham’s continual commitment to talking about sport was initially met with scepticism by people who assumed it was for novelty or comedic purposes only. But third show in Higginbotham is now recognised as serious when it comes to her love and knowledge on sport.

While some of the more nuanced Carlton/Collingwood jokes were lost on the non-sports devoted Higginbotham fans in the audience, enough was accessible for all. Tegan’s step towards revealing more of personal self in this show is a welcome one. We’d love to get to know more about the woman behind the Sports Columns in the Age. This show definitely showed potential for Tegan to work within the medium of pathos, as well as her proven talents in the fields of sketch and improv.

Dust off your footy boots, put in your mouth guard, and head along to this funny and fresh scrum of laughter and learning.

Game Changer is on at The Portland Hotel – Gold Room until April 20
http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2014/season/shows/game-changer-tegan-higginbotham-in