The Aussie Invasion of the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe – Now With Extra Danger!

By Colin Flaherty

It’s almost August and that means Edinburgh Fringe time. Quite a few Australian performers are heading north for a Scottish summer.

Our London based Squirrel Ron will be covering Fringe for us; covering both Australian acts and other performers who may venture to our shores in the future.

A browse of the program reveals some interesting shows from the Aussies. Many comedians are bringing their current shows seen in the Australian festivals including David Quirk with the show that won him the “Piece of Wood Award”. Joint Newcomer winners in 2012, Ronnie Cheing and Matt Okine, are taking their current shows.

Tommy Little, Mel Buttle & Josh Thomas have recently cancelled their Edinburgh runs due to television commitments. Josh is going Hollywood instead, his TV series Please Like Me is being picked up by a new US cable channel Pivot TV which is aimed at young people and will air from August 1st.

Myf Warhurst hosts a chat show Showcatcher that features all manner of festival guests spruiking their festival shows.

Expat Bec Hill is going to be a busy beaver this Festival. She is performing in her own stand up show (Bec by Popular Demand), a two-hander show with Patrick Monahan (Bec Hill and Patrick Monahan’s Hour of Fun!), a children’s sketch show (Bec & Tom’s Awesome Laundry) and is hosting Pun Run, the UK’s only pun-based comedy club.

Yianni has an intriguing concept this year: a series of free shows at The Dram House leading up to a huge ticketed show at Venue150 @ EICC. Will he fill Edinburgh’s largest room?

The 2013 Edinburgh Festival Fringe runs from 02 – 26 August. Shows for 2013 are now on sale!

 

Here’s the list of shows. If we’ve previously reviewed a show we’ve added the link.

If we’ve missed anyone, please drop us a line.

 

Adam Hills: Happyism @ Assembly Hall
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/adam-hills-happyism

Ali McGregor’s Late-Nite Variety-Nite Night @ Assembly Checkpoint
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/cabaret/ali-mcgregor-s-late-nite-variety-nite-night

Alex Williamson @ Gilded Balloon Teviot
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/alex-williamson

Bec Hill: Bec by Popular Demand @ Gilded Balloon Teviot
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/bec-hill-bec-by-popular-demand

Bec Hill and Patrick Monahan’s Hour of Fun! @ Gilded Balloon Teviot
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/bec-hill-and-patrick-monahan-s-hour-of-fun

Bec & Tom’s Awesome Laundry @ Gilded Balloon Teviot
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/childrens-shows/bec-tom-s-awesome-laundry

Pun Run (hosted by Bec Hill) @ The Canons’ Gait
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/pun-run

Claudia O’Doherty: Pioneer @ Pleasance Courtyard
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/claudia-o-doherty-pioneer

Damian Clark in G’Damo! @ Gilded Balloon Teviot
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/damian-clark-in-g-damo

Daniel Townes – I Think So I’m Ready @ Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/i-think-so-i-m-ready

Dave Callan: The Psychology of Laughter @ Gilded Balloon Teviot
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/dave-callan-the-psychology-of-laughter

David Quirk – Shaking Hands With Danger @ Pleasance Courtyard
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/david-quirk-shaking-hands-with-danger-aus
Here’s our review from MICF 2013 :
https://www.squirrelcomedy.com/?p=3355

Dayne Rathbone – It’s Me Dayne @ Gilded Balloon Teviot
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/it-s-me-dayne

Die Roten Punkte – Kunst Rock (Art Rock) @ AssemblyGeorge Square
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/cabaret/die-roten-punkte-kunst-rock-art-rock

Dr Professor Neal Portenza’s Interactive Goat Hour: There are no goats and the show is only 54 minutes long, excluding the bonus minute @ The Dram House Upstairs
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/dr-professor-neal-portenza-s-interactive-goat-hour-there-are-no-goats-and-the-show-is-only-54-minutes-long-excluding-the-bonus-minute

Eric Hutton’s Favourite Songs @ Laughing Horse @ Bar 50
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/eric-hutton-s-favourite-songs-free

Evolution of iMaAN @ Laughing Horse @ Espionage
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/evolution-of-imaan

Felicity Ward: Irregardless @ Underbelly, Bristo Square
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/felicity-ward-irregardless

Hannah Gadsby: Nakedy Nudes (Departs from Assembly Rooms, Bristo Place)
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/hannah-gadsby-nakedy-nudes

Hannah Gadsby: Happiness is a Bedside Table @ Assembly Roxy
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/hannah-gadsby-happiness-is-a-bedside-table
Here’s our review from MICF 2013 :
https://www.squirrelcomedy.com/?p=3771

Instant Order: Trial By Audience (featuring Karin Danger, Scott Gooding, Katie Lockett & Sean Fabri) @ The Dram House Upstairs
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/instant-order-trial-by-audience

Jen Carnovale: Not a Person Person @ Laughing Horse @ The Free Sisters
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/jen-carnovale-not-a-person-person-free

Jimeoin: Yes,Yes, Whatever…?! @ Venue150 @ EICC
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/jimeoin-yes-yes-whatever

John Robertson – The Dark Room @ Underbelly, Cowgate
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/john-robertson-the-dark-room

Jon Bennett: My Dad’s Deaths @ Underbelly, Cowgate
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/jon-bennett-my-dad-s-deaths

Karin Danger: Hot Box @ Just the Tonic at The Caves ​
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/cabaret/karin-danger-hot-box

KelFi & FiKel @ Gilded Balloon Teviot
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/kelfi-fikel

Lisa-Skye – Ladyboner @ C venues – C nova
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/ladyboner
Here’s our review from MICF 2012 :
https://www.squirrelcomedy.com/?p=1210

Matt Okine: Being Black & Chicken & S#%t @ Underbelly, Bristo Square
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/matt-okine-being-black-chicken-s-t

Not Suitable for Drinking (Sydney sketch trio) @ Ciao Roma
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/not-suitable-for-drinking

Ronny Chieng: The Ron Way @ Underbelly, Cowgate
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/ronny-chieng-the-ron-way

Rob Lloyd: Who, Me @ Just The Tonic at Bristo Square
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/rob-lloyd-who-me

Showcatcher (hosted by Myf Warhurst) @ Assembly George Square
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/showcatcher

Storytellers’ Club @ Pleasance Courtyard
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/storytellers-club

Unmanageable (Featuring expat Kim Hope) @ Laughing Horse @ The Free Sisters
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/unmanageable

Yianni in Think Big @ The Dram House & Venue150 @ EICC
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/yianni-in-think-big
https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/yianni-in-think-big-the-big-one

Winners of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Awards 2013

By Lisa Clark

What an amazing fabulous festival it has been.

As usual the winners of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Awards were announced on the final night at the Festival Club in the Hifi Bar. This year American UK resident Rich Hall was rewarded for his fifteenth show at the festival in Melbourne. We give our heartiest congratulations to all the winners (as well as all the nominees. how do they choose between them?)

The Full List of Award winners is below.

Funny Tonne Award – Nick Taras who saw 147 shows

The Golden Gibbo – Simon Keck for Nob Happy Sock

highly commended by The Golden Gibbo – Standard Double by Kate Mclennan and Wes Snelling

The Piece of Wood – David Quirk – Shaking Hands with Danger

Directors Choice Award – Mel Buttle – How Embarrassment

People’s Choice is Arj Barker – Go Time

Best Newcomer – Luke McGregor – My Soulmate is Out of My League

Barry Award – Rich Hall.

Given out previously…

RAW Comedy – Demi Lardner

Class Clowns competition –  James Warren

 

Squirrels Top 5 Picks of the Festival

Well the 2013 Melbourne International Comedy Festival is winding down this weekend.

We no longer hand out awards, because it is just too difficult for us to see everything, or even see the same shows as each other. Instead most of the Squirrels have picked their Top 5 shows. If they are still running we recommend that you might like to see some of them this weekend. It was really hard to narrow it down to only five.

Of course the festival isn’t over yet and we may see something that changes our list but we wanted to put this up before the festival was over so you could gain from our recommendations.

You’ll notice a few of the names crop up more than once. Some sold out shows are putting on extra performances in the final weekend like the play Choir Girl that had finished its run of three performances, but has added one on Sunday afternoon.

Check out the Melbourne International Comedy Festival website for details and keep festivalling ’til you drop!!

Lisa Clark 

Hannah Gadsby – Happiness is a Bedside Table

Dave Bloustien – The Grand Gignol

The Writers

Luke McGregor – My Soulmate is Out of My League

Sammy J – Potentially

 

Caitlin Crowley

Luke McGregor – My Soulmate is Out of My League

Hannah Gadsby – Happiness is a Bedside Table

Michael Workman – Ave Loretta

Best Comics Worst Gigs

Dave O’Neil – 33 Things I Should Have Said No To

 

 

Cathy Culliver 

Dayne Rathbone – It’s Me Dayne

Luke McGregor – My Soulmate is Out of My League

Simon Keck – Nob Happy Sock

Dr Professor Neal Portenza

Ryan Coffey – Late & Loud

 

Colin Flaherty 

Fabian Lapham & The Actual Musicans:God Fights the Dinosaurs & 9 Other Stories That Will Awesome You in the Face.

Simon Keck – Nob Happy Sock

Set List

Choir Girl – Sarah Collins

David Quirk – Shaking Hands with danger

 

Elyce Phillips 

Lessons with Luis – Famoucity!

Lords of Luxury

Sam Simmons – Shitty Trivia

Lawrence Leung’s Part-time Detective Agency

Mike Birbiglia – My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend

 

Luke Simmons 

Khaled Khalafalla – Devious

Brendon Walsh

Bev Killick – Goes “There”…Again

Daniel Connell – Mr Personality 1988

Trevor Noah – The Racist

 

2013 Melbourne International Comedy Festival finishes on Sunday 21st of April

David Quirk – Shaking Hands with danger

By Colin Flaherty

David Quirk has been the critical darling of the festival for several years now and unfortunately I have repeatedly dismissed the hype. For a long time I have seen him plugging away in rooms where he has stood out like dog’s balls amongst the tight fives of others, but his delivery didn’t quite do it for me. In extended storytelling mode however, he is a force to be reckoned with.

In addition to his uncanny ability to keep an audience glued to his words for an hour there are other elements to this performance that add a completely new dimension to his act. A segment of energetic physicality is a dramatic contrast to his usual rather static and reserved stage persona. A solid yet lightweight routine of old is given a considerable reworking to give it detail and gravitas while adding even more laughs.

With his show Shaking Hands With Danger, David takes us on a journey through a five year relationship (complete with a dangerous indiscretion) adding a secondary and equally important story of his relationship with the band Guns’N’Roses. It is a tale in which many can relate to varying degrees but is given the fascinating and humorous dimension of Quirk’s slightly naĂŻve yet blunt world view. He keeps the audience enthralled through every step, and every aside is entwined firmly into the narrative.

David paints vivid pictures by going into excessive but amusing detail and using colourful turns of phrase. His descriptors are highly inventive and sometimes grotesque and confronting. The deliberate phrasing gives the performance a contemplative atmosphere while adding the theatrics of a man struggling to articulate this emotional tale. Add to this some snippets of his infamous dark material and you have an accessible show that is a little challenging.

This is a beautifully constructed and hilarious piece that is sure to garner much more acclaim. Bravo Mr Quirk, Bravo!

David Quirk is on at the Melbourne Town Hall.
http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2013/season/shows/shaking-hands-with-danger-david-quirk