Emma Holland – Don’t Touch My Trinkets

By Bella Jones

Are you an adult who misses the experience of getting a lucky dip at your local fair? Unsure what exactly you were going to get but certain it would be something exciting? Emma Holland might just be the comedy equivalent of that.

Don’t Touch My Trinkets is a visit to Holland’s own personal art gallery, one where she is allowed to handle the exhibits as much as she wants. The audience follows her journey through some of the art mediums she tried before ending up in comedy. Holland is a master at combining the absurd with the ordinary, the result? An hour of comedy that ranges from physical gags, tech, and traditional storytelling, plus just about everything in between.

Emma Holland is in demand, appearing on and writing for The Cheap Seats, Have You Been Paying Attention? Most recently she wrote for the AACTAs. Her latest comedy show proves why her impressive CV is no surprise.

This show is intensely, cleverly written. It’s almost exhausting just how many jokes Holland has managed to fit in, as she ties together stories from childhood, casual sexism and genuine enthusiasm for nearly every form of art.

One of Holland’s most impressive talents lies in the fact that a quick dick joke feels perfectly at home next to biting social commentary. All building towards an ending that was a festival highlight for me. Unafraid to move quickly she easily keeps the audience on their toes with a determined passion and clear understanding of exactly what kind of performance she wants to give. Not that it’s hard to keep the room’s attention, Holland has a clear audience and sold out shows night after night prove just how much her niche is connecting with the right people.

Emma Holland’s brain seems like an incredible place to spend even an hour in, it’s always a treat to get to experience it.

Emma Holland performs Don’t Touch My Trinkets at ACMI til April 20

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/browse-shows/emma-holland-don-t-touch-my-trinkets/

Adam Kay – This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor

By Lisa Clark

More of an author’s book talk than a comedy show, Adam Kay has taken out lots of his most shocking and amusing experiences from his personal diaries  to put into this show. The stories are often extreme and outrageous and more believable for it. I’ve seen similar medical stories told by other comedians and also from a friend at the end of working exhausting Saturday nights in Emergency at a major hospital. So although occasionally too graphic, little of it felt new or fresh to me.

The first couple of stories were so disgustingly off-putting, if I hadn’t been stuck in the middle of a row I would’ve walked out. If only for a breather. There was no warning from Adam (apart from the sign upstairs before you enter about upsetting content) about how gruesome and distressing he was about to become. It’s very early in the show, which might be his audience test for if your stomach is up for this, then stick around for the rest of the show. I certainly failed at finding humour in it, while others laughed in shock at their extreme repulsiveness.

My main problem is that I didn’t find most of these tales very funny or titillating or whatever he means them to be. These are people’s lives and I find it a bit weird that he’s still milking them for attention fifteen years after he’s stopped practicing. He’s a charming performer but provides no context, very little about his own life and there was no through tale or over arcing story. He just reads dates from his diaries and tells the anecdotes in a very matter of fact manner. Perhaps those who’ve read the books or seen the TV show based on the books would understand the context better, but the laughs in the audience are mostly sporadic and middling, meeting his rhythm or shocked laughter.

Kay’s show had the rhythm of a one-liner comedian, and realising that he needed to add a bit of colour and movement for the audience, he’s broken it up with some lame musical parody songs, despite not being a brilliant singer. One is a running gag where the audience gets to “guess the ailment” singing along to the tune of “Hallelujah” and the rest are all more of his anecdotes or medical facts put to the tunes of famous songs such as “Total Eclipse of the Heart”. It could be that my benchmark for musical comedy is fairly high but the audience were having a nice time singing along. Kay then ends the show with the tragic tale that took him out of the industry and advice for those in the audience who are currently in the industry to look after themselves and take real breaks when needed.

Stand up comedy about working in the medical industry has been around a long time. Jo Brand and Georgie Carroll for example are brilliantly funny storytellers and their experiences are full of the sort of gallows humour that the medical profession previously only shared amongst themselves. Kay’s brutal and honest anecdotes certainly entertained the crowd, and if you’ve got a stronger stomach than me, this might be for you.

Adam Kay performs This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor at The Playhouse, The Arts Centre Melbourne until April 20.

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/browse-shows/adam-kay/

Melanie Bracewell – A Little Treat

By Bella Jones

Melanie Bracewell is far from the first comedian to be diagnosed with ADHD and write a comedy show about it – a fact that she is aware of. But one of her biggest skills lies in turning ordinary stories into hilarious anecdotes, finding the funny in common experiences.

Her latest show may be titled ‘A Little Treat’, but for the audience it’s more like a smorgasbord of humour and entertainment. The crowd can immediately tell that they’re in the safe hands of Bracewell’s well-proven comedy skills. From her previous stand up shows to writing and co-hosting The Cheap Seats it seems that Bracewell is exactly where she’s meant to be. Every line is written with the intention of getting the most laughs, with quick quips and delightfully satisfying call-backs it’s clear Bracewell is dedicated to creating the best show possible.

Throughout the hour we follow Bracewell’s retelling of the events that lead to her getting an ADHD diagnosis. From air dry clay, dining in the dark, to car manuals, the show is full of just about everything. Not only is it all treated to Bracewell’s sharp wit, but there’s also some touching moments relating to her and her partner Shaun. She excels at drawing the audience into the scenes she’s describing. Her clever use of repeating lines gathers more and more laughter as well as serving as a great connection back to her ADHD. She always seems completely in control, leaving the audience perfectly positioned to enjoy a fantastic hour of laughs.

Bracewell’s shows are worth recommending to just about anyone, A Little Treat is no exception and might just be her strongest work yet.

Melanie Bracewell performs A Little Treat at Max Watts Until April .20

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/browse-shows/melanie-bracewell-a-little-treat/

Nick Robertson : Everything That Happened At Number 68

By Peter Hodgson

From the second you step into the room for Nick Robinson’s show Everything That Happened At Number 68, you feel welcomed. Literally, because Nick has brought plenty of tea for everyone (“Earl Grey, for sluts”), and even cushions and blankets in case your butt doesn’t like the seats or you feel a bit chilly. There are even snacks. It’s such a literally inviting way to begin this show, which is a collection of stories from Robinson’s first share house experience.

Nick Robinson is endearing, confessional, kind and friendly, but also cheeky, occasionally-dark-but-for-just-a-second, and not afraid to throw in a way-too-personal detail or anecdote (this show has a whole section about who left their butt plug in the bathtub). That’s perfect for a show about the sexed-up, longnecks-and-cones vibe of a 20something share house. Sometimes Robinson is the protagonist of his stories, sometimes he’s an observer, and sometimes he’s dragged wildly between the two poles as his flatmates wreak youthful havoc around him.

Now, let’s make this clear: it’s not a ‘share house from hell’ story. It’s downright heartwarming in a lot of places. We get to know Robinson’s flatmates (including a bunny named George), their habits, their personalities, their quirks. And, helpfully, as each character is introduced, their photo is pinned up from a clothes line hanging across the stage. It’s a great device for people like me who have a hard time keeping up when I’m hearing a story about a bunch of strangers. It’s easy to remember who did what to whom because I can see their photos right there. Thanks Nick!

Occasionally Robinson will stumble over a phrase, rush to a punchline too soon and have to backtrack, or get a little verbally tangled. This would be an issue for most comedians but Robinson creates an environment that makes it completely okay, all from the very outset. It’s just part of the atmosphere, the confessional vibe, the relaxed inviting warmth of sharing stories.

I’ve seen Robinson a few times in recent years, at MICF and spots at comedy clubs. Every year he gets more assured and more bold in his storytelling, more ready to take chances and take big swings. Everything That Happened At Number 68 is a really fun show and very much worth your time, and it hints at the more self-assured comedian Robinson is on his way to becoming. He’s already hilarious but this show contains the seeds of something that has potential to grow to something really unique.

Nick Robertson performs Everything That Happened At Number 68 at The Chinese Museum until April 20

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/browse-shows/everything-that-happened-at-number-68/

Handful Of Bugs : Bigfoot: In Plain Sight

By Colin Flaherty

Bigfoot : In Plain Sight tells the story of Canadian Bigfoot enthusiast Robert H. McKinley. We witness the tale of his father Robert H. McKinley Senior – his encounters with this creature of mythology and the community that ridiculed him for what they saw as tall stories. Junior makes it his mission to prove that his father was right all along.

Those expecting a long comical slog through the forest in search of Bigfoot will be surprised that he encounters the cryptid quite early on, partly because the timeline jumps all over the place but mostly the beast just appears. Instead it becomes a hilarious quest to follow the trail left behind by his father and all the lunacy that encompasses.

Emerging from a tent in tighty whiteys, performer Alex Donnelly executes this one handed play perfectly. He mimes his way through all sorts of wacky situations and interacts with other characters using some brilliant vocal gymnastics and wonderful comical expressions. A pair of disbelieving local yokels are given plenty of stage time with their complicated menage a trios as they exchange banter at a breakneck pace that has Donnelly rapidly changing vocal and physical mannerisms expertly so that we can easily follow the conversation.

This tightly scripted piece manages to include some gentle audience interaction. These exchanges do not affect the plot in any way but cleverly relies on Melbourne audiences’ reluctance to participate – giving him nothing so that he can make a joke about their silence. I wonder how he handles an eager, vocal punter?

The soundtrack to this mayhem is a beautiful cacophony of cartoonish sound effects. Wacky soundbites of pop cultural voices pop up, adding to the craziness with some extra giggles. While this performance is primarily through mime, brilliant use of props feature throughout with some impressive hat acting. Some great visual spectacles happen in this onstage campsite that are milked for laughs as we marvel at the technical aspects.

This a brilliant show that had the audience in hysterics throughout and gasping at the huge bombshell of an ending. Lace on your hiking boots to ascend the many stairs of The Malthouse to witness this awesome show.

Bigfoot: In Plain Sight is on at The Malthouse until April 20

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/browse-shows/bigfoot-in-plain-sight/

Pierre Novellie – Must We?

By Peter Newling

With a French first name and an Italian surname, Novellie was born in South Africa, raised on the Isle of Man and now resides in London. It’s of little surprise that his onstage persona is worldly – more surprising that it is quintessentially British.

Novellie’s schtick is classy, erudite and unwaveringly polite – perhaps a product of his Cambridge education (where he served as Vice President of Footlights). Adorned in suit and tie and pocket handkerchief, he is the polar opposite of unwashed stoner type of comic.

But in no way is this a gimmick or an exaggeration of the thoroughly British, standoffish stereotype. His delivery is warm and engaging. There is nothing caustic or petty in his choice of material or his delivery. It’s quite charming.

Much of his material is based on the impact of autism on his life, and how it informs his choices and decisions. The need for order – to have rules and incentives to follow those rules – is the bedrock of this. His reflections on when this order breaks down – when logic and fairness and reasonableness fail – are absolutely hilarious.

His choices of material to illustrate this are first rate. He covers a fair bit of territory, including his experiences with clothes shopping, being gaslit by algorithms, and his relationship with food. He doesn’t rely on self-deprecation, rather he invites us to see things as he sees them. He has a unique talent for verbal imagery. Every story, like every word, has been carefully chosen.

Novellie’s diagnosis of autism at age 30 led him to write his book “Why Can’t I Just Enjoy Things?: A Comedian’s Guide To Autism”. That, like his show, encourages us to think about how our lack of empathy toward neurodivergence exacerbates the pain of the condition. This is bought into sharp focus in the discussion on autism loss of life toward the end of the set. It’s eye opening and really powerful.

Must We? marks Novellie’s first appearance at the MICF, and hopefully the first of many. Fans of beautiful turns of phrase, cargo cults and thoughtful material will love this show.

Pierre Novellie – Must We? is playing until April 18 at the Westin – Three, at 7:25pm and 6:25pm on Sundays.

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/browse-shows/pierre-novellie/