Melbourne Fringe 2017 – Page 4

Lauren Bok – A Bok In Progress

By Colin Flaherty

A Bok in Progress is not your usual work in progress show. While Lauren Bok is genuinely trying out new ideas, this is a work in progress about being a work in progress. Students of the comedic arts will find plenty of giggles, nay guffaws, as she pokes fun at the creative process and the obstacles put before performers. It’s not all inside jokes as the normals will delight in Bok’s relatable material.

There are some clever ideas in this performance. She starts the show with a clean slate and builds upon it with the audience’s help. Those who normally run a mile from audience participation needn’t fear, most of the tasks are administration, holding various props and reacting to ideas. We are taken through the basic building blocks of creating a festival show. We wade our way through a huge list of pun show titles, see a “scientifically generated” blurb and image, see how intro music sets the stage for various types of comedian and hear a personal story about her creative process.

The moments of pure silliness provided the most hilarity as Bok showed off her wonderful physical comedy chops. Her numerous props gave things a touch of whimsy while she pushed some ideas to ridiculous extremes with great results. A serious monologue towards the end was a severe change of pace and mood but fit in perfectly. Thankfully it was broken up with a witty joke about show structure and audience behaviour that was wacky enough for all to enjoy.

While she is given some leeway with this being advertised as a work in progress, not all of the jokes land. Getting the crowd to vocalise a rhythm while drumming the beat was a messy way to start, even with it’s cute pay-off. The blurb generated by algorithm was so long and nonsensical that it evoked bewilderment rather than laughs. These interesting ideas are sure to be licked into shape in the future and Melbourne Fringe is the perfect place to try them out. There are enough laughs here already to satisfy and this has got to be one of the shows that embraces the spirit of the Fringe.

A Bok In Progress is on at Metropolitan Hotel – The Cavern until September 16

https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/event/lauren-bok-a-bok-in-progress/

5 good reasons to see Super Woman Money Program

1. Are you worried about your super? If you’re not, you should be! Welcome to the Super Woman Money Program.

2. Please note, Super Woman Money Program features financial advice from someone not at all qualified to give it.

3. I have a sock puppet that reads my hate mail.

4. I went to Kmart when I was really hungry and spent a heap of money on gold props, please come and buy tickets to my show.

5. I have a gender pay gap discount – women get a 15.3% discount on full price tickets with the code “IAMASUPERWOMAN” and I’m also donating $1 from every ticket sold to the Victorian Women’s Trust’s Breakthrough initiative, addressing women’s economic security and safety.

Super Woman Money Program is on at Lithuanian Club – Son of Loft from September 15 to 22

https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/event/super-woman-money-program/

5 Good Reasons to see Carly Milroy in Pee Stick

1. It’s like overhearing your housemate talking to themselves in the loo after they crept in at 3am except with theatrical conventions, multiple personalities and much more sweat.

2. It’s got dancing. Not the impressive kind where you can see people lift their leg as high as you know you could lift your leg if you ever went to those spin classes you’ve been paying for since 2014. The kind where you go: Yep, knee-height is about as high as a human leg should go. The kind with lots of dorky 80s head pops, silent clicking and shoulder shimmies. The kind you love to bust out in the privacy of your own bathroom. That kind of dancing. Heaps of that.

3. It’s at the Courthouse Hotel, North Melbourne, at the convenient time of 7.10pm. Grab a delicious dinner downstairs before OR after the show, depending on your dining personality type.

4. It’s where you can meet a bunch of wonderfully ridiculous women from 12 to 85 years old, in the one handy location! But also only one woman. All the ridiculous women are me.

5. It’s gonna make you laugh all over the head of the person in front of you, and then go home to call your mum. If you are a mum please come along so I can high-five you in person. You are amazing to me, this show is for you.

Pee Stick is on at Courthouse Hotel – The Jury Room from September 13 to 21

https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/event/pee-stick/

5 good reasons to see The First Annual (Doris to insert) Festival

1. It’s a festival within a festival, so you get twice the festival for once the ticket price.

2. Whether you love Grant Denyer, hate Grant Denyer or are merely indifferent to Grant Denyer, we’ve some jokes for you!

3. There’s a raffle every night! You could win a fabulous prize of some sort!

4. It’s our first show together as a sketch group, so if it turns out we’re good at this thing, you’ll be able to be a comedy snob in five years’ time and be all, “I saw Bess County back when they did their first show and there were just two people watching.”

5. We’ve made a show that’s bursting with big characters and absurd sketches, but it’s got a toasty nugget of heart at its centre, and we think you’ll love it as much as we do.

The First Annual (Doris to insert) Festival is on at Club Voltaire from September 15 to 23

https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/event/the-first-annual-doris-to-insert-festival/

5 Good Reasons to see Woah, Alyssa!

1. It’s a sketch comedy show, so it’s like a bunch of shows in one; there’s a bit of SNL-style absurdity, some social critique and raunch like Amy Schumer, and characters and themes all chill in one fake universe a la Portlandia. So there’s bound to be something you’ll like – everything!

2. The show’s on at Hares and Hyenas, last Fringe’s Best Venue and also an honest-to-God GAY BOOKSTORE! That’s right, so if you come to the show, the next day at work you can debut a new personality where you go “Yass hunty!” and “talk to the hand!”, and no-one can question you because you just went somewhere REALLY GAY!

3. We made a bunch of dope sketches and chucked ‘em online just so you can see if we’re your cup of tea or not! Would Javier Bardem ever let you see half his movie for free before he made you pay for the whole thing? No! Seriously, fuck him.

4. Colwyn and Fil are boyfriends so not going is a vote “No”. But that’s your business.

5. Isn’t it great to see a show that conjures the memory of Alyssa Milano? Remember that time she was a mermaid? Sorry if you don’t, that’s really sad!

STILL NOT CONVINCED???? Check us out on YouTube

Woah, Alyssa! is on at Hare Hole (Hares & Hyenas) from September 19 to 24

https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/event/woah-alyssa-1/

5 good reasons to see The Yonder

1. Shirley Bassey

2. Original electronic by talented local musician Alan Erpi adds a lot of gravitas to our dumb antics

3. Intergalactic alien space dance battle.

4. There are space squid!

5. The world is on fire what else are you going to do? Join us for the apocalypse.

The Yonder is on at Lithuanian Club – The Loft from September 23 to 30

https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/event/the-yonder/