Barry Morgan’s World of Organs – A Review from 26/9/2010

This is a review from Barry’s performance at The Melbourne Fringe Festival originally published by The Groggy Squirrel on 26/9/2010. We are re publishing it because Barry is taking his gorgeous organ to Edinburgh.

By Colin Flaherty

Barry Morgan (aka Stephen Teakle) came to national attention through his appearance on Spicks and Specks earlier this year and now Adelaide’s ultimate organ salesman has come to the Melbourne Fringe to demonstrate the features of his 1981 Hammond Aurora Classic. Decked out in a Safari Suit and plenty of bling, he treated us to many original and familiar tunes in this brilliantly cheesy show.

When Barry stated at the outset that this was a sales pitch I’m sure many in the audience got very nervous, however their fears were unnecessary. This character was an old school salesman who was a far cry from any high pressure shysters in modern sales. He had a gentle manner that put everyone at ease with audience interaction and participation that was very playful and harmless.

The show was littered with lots of innuendo that were variations on the same idea but Barry was such a delightful personality that the crowd tittered and giggled every time. He didn’t employ an overly camp persona, instead it was suitably understated with a veneer of innocence. In addition to the double entedres there were other sources of humour in this performance. Every gesture was exaggerated so even the smallest hand movement got a laugh. He was a whirlwind of flashing teeth and silly dance moves.

There were also laughs to be found in the music itself. This was not exactly musical comedy per se as his selection of songs were not parodies or genre altered hits which are the usual tools of trade. He instead relied on the humour of recognition as well as his animated performance. His organ was a comedic device in itself with the varied (and not so varied) sounds it created. His amazing talent at this highly complicated keyboard was a sight to behold and Barry’s extreme enthusiasm was so infectious that the audience were happy to bop and sing along throughout.

This is a wonderful show that is suitable for the entire family. This performance was far from cutting edge but it was a nicely nostalgic and fun show that had plenty of heart. Youngsters and the prudes could happily let the veiled vulgarity sail over their heads and still get plenty of laughs from the silliness. Be quick to book as this show has been so popular that an extra show has been added to cope with the demand.

Visit the Website for booking details. http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/barry-morgan-s-world-of-organs