Jason Chatfield – Stand Up Comic Strip Live

By Colin Flaherty

This is an autobiographical account of Jason Chatfield’s life from chubby misfit kid in Karratha, W.A. to successful cartoonist. He takes us through hilarious tales of misfortune, luck and learning that see him enduring shitty jobs and encountering many inspiring people (and just as many annoying ones) on his way to becoming the heir apparent to James Kemsley, last in the line of the illustrators for Ginger Meggs and leading figure of Australian cartooning.

The staging of this show is ingenious with an easel taking prominence under a spot-light. Not only does Jason use this easel to draw people from his tales on the sheets of paper but projected animations (complete with audio) bring these characters to life. This is an efficient way to work with Jason only required to draw the an outline (a rather detailed one at that!) with the projections taking over the moving parts. Not just an impressive and clever device, this adds further avenues for humour with the characters criticising the quality of the drawings to Jason’s mock horror.

Jason interacts with his animations brilliantly by using broad gestures and comically exaggerated facial expressions to react to the comments uttered by this cavalcade of eccentric characters. From his tactless uncles to the weird old man on his paper route to his boss from hell, these people take centre stage in some hilarious anecdotes.

Quite a few self portraits pop up during the show, all are self deprecating and chart his emotional growth. There is also an artistic party trick linked to a childhood story that adds an element of danger as he attempts to pull it off successfully.

Even without all the visual tricks Jason is an engaging storyteller. His comic timing is spot on and he has a highly animated (no pun intended) delivery. Despite telling us in the story that he always tended to blend into the background he is a natural charmer on stage.

A show that sets out to motivate and inspire as much as to entertain, Jason uses his considerable artistic talents to present a rollicking yarn about following your dreams through all adversity. This is storytelling at its best.

Stand Up Comic Strip Live is on at the Locker Room at The Portland Hotel
http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2013/season/shows/stand-up-comic-strip-live-jason-chatfield

Horses That Shoot Lasers From Their Eyes : Subject To Change

By Colin Flaherty

The pre-festival publicity for this show was intriguing, an elaborate and vague title, and the only description being “Content and themes may vary”. They even went to the effort of flyering wearing a horse’s mask to add further mystery. The anonymity was lifted as it was revealed that this is a stand up show featuring three comics who had made the trek down from Brisbane (Hannes Monaghan, Jacob Lingard and David Scullion).

This is solid pub stand up by three comics whose delivery is different enough to provide variety to its no-frills staging. It’s interesting to note that some themes carry through the entire show. All shared the experience of flying down together so all feel the need to cover it. Most of the observations about the process are on the generic side but each give it their own spin to prevent it from being too samey. The other topic that gets a flogging is their inability to understand women which is par for the course for young, straight guys. Thankfully there are enough creative and amusing lines through these routines to add freshness.

Hannes is first to hit the stage and has some entertaining routines about his German mother, relationship break ups and poker machines. A very measured, almost lackadaisical delivery gives us a gentle start to the show but he has plenty of witty lines to keep us laughing.

Jacob is next and gets some humorous mileage out of various medical conditions that he has been afflicted with. Including these ailments gives his treatment of the hackneyed topics in his set some greater depth and a point of difference from others. Self-deprecation fills the bulk of his set which is nicely paired with a touch of jokey dismissiveness.

Rounding out the show was David who has billed himself as “The Irish Stallion”. His is a high energy performance and a logical progression from the other two to end things on a bang rather than a whimper. It is nice that he uses the common topics as segues into related material, often leading us into unexpected areas. His use of off-colour remarks as punch lines provides plenty of guilty giggles.

This being their debut MICF show, it is a good calling card for a trio of emerging stand ups from up north whose future endeavours are worth keeping an eye open for.

Subject To Change is on at Highlander Bar.

http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2013/season/shows/subject-to-change-horses-that-shoot-lasers-from-their-eyes

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

By Colin Flaherty


Part rock gig, part performance art piece, this elaborately titled show sees Fabian Lapham and band (Asha on guitar, Andy on bass, Cynthia on uke and vocals, and Shane on drums) deliver almost what it says on the tin (Fabian explains that the degree of awesoming to the face may vary). Through a set of clever, amusing songs they tell a series of stories about love, heartbreak, philosophy and the trials of life. As a sort of between song banter, Fabian offers up some very silly pieces of stand up, hilariously lame impersonations and Russell Crowe poetry.

Most of the songs have spoken monologues for verses which, even with Fabian’s speedy delivery, helps with clarity compared to if these lines were sung. It certainly removes the need for every line to scan properly and is a perfect fit for these narrative heavy tunes. Before you call laziness on this ploy, he can hold a tune when singing the choruses that need a male voice while Cynthia provides sweet vocals elsewhere.

The majority of the humour is in the form of the absurdist lines that pepper the monologues. It does so in a way that gets laughs at their silliness while propelling the story forward. The songs don’t have to build to a punchline as you would normally expect from musical comedy, these tunes instead wrap up the narrative neatly and musically which isn’t a bad thing when the content is so entertaining.

It’s interesting to see how they have made the music an integral part of the show, even when we appear to be between songs. All segments get some appropriate musical backing to create mood and often add humour in the process. The celebration of the third wanking joke of the show gets its own theme tune while a collection of left over one liners races a musical clock.

There is some very clever songwriting going on here. We get call-backs to earlier stories or offhand comments either through the storytelling or musical motifs. One song even outlines the life of another song with the chorus comprising the angelic performance of this anthem during the story. Not all of this musical magic is funny and themes of the some songs are downright serious, but it sure does create wonderful atmosphere for Fabian’s witty lines to shine like beacons.

The interaction between Fabian and the band is brilliant. All are mute (save for singing) and straight faced as Fabian spouts his often self-deprecating lines, regularly rolling their eyes at him as if they’d rather be elsewhere. The only display of emotion we get from the band is at the finale with some hilarious, carefully controlled mayhem while rocking out.

A brilliant fusion of comedy, music and theatre it’s a wonderful experience. Featuring beautiful song-writing and expert musicianship you will be tapping your toes as well as laughing heartily.

God Fights the Dinosaurs… is on at Northcote Town Hall

http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2013/season/shows/god-fights-the-dinosaurs-9-other-stories-that-will-awesome-you-in-the-face-fabian-lapham-the-actual-musicians

Abel Seaman : Art! Art! Art!

By Colin Flaherty

After exploring Australian history last year (Australia! Australia! Australia!, MICF 2012) the duo of Abel Seaman (Martin Dunlop and Michael Teychenne) are back to tackle the art world. This is a silly hour of sketch mocking many artists and movements as well as taking clever swipes at the creative process, art marketing and art appreciation. If already you’ve seen the YouTube videos promoting the show you’ll be pleased to know that only some of this material makes an appearance, plenty more ideas are on offer.

There is a comfortable mix of one joke sketches and more involved pieces. Many scenes explore some clever concepts and contain witty lines while others are based on pure silliness to keep the audience chuckling. A couple of recurring sketches are problematic; one fails to repeat the brilliance of the first iteration while the other only exists to set up a rather limp finale.

At times they assume you know some background about the artist/movement to work things out on your own, but these jokes are general enough to get laughs on a superficial level. One particular sketch assumes knowledge about two kids TV shows about art and if you aren’t familiar with either program understanding the references is quite a challenge. They do preface it with a warning of age specificity and add plenty of visual gags but the considerable length of it puts it in danger of losing some punters.

Using costuming and props, they bring an array of wacky characters to life. It often seems that Michael is the one most eager to don a wig and put on a silly accent while Martin plays the straight man perfectly to keep the humorous lines flowing. They bounce off one another seamlessly and can easily cope when one goes momentarily off script or the audience throws up a surprise.

Art! Art! Art! Is a highly entertaining hour of sketch by two talented fellows. Their enthusiasm is infectious and their stagecraft is polished enough to make it look effortless. I look forward to seeing what thrice titled show they bring us next year.

Art! Art! Art! is on at Highlander Bar
http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2013/season/shows/art-art-art-abel-seaman

Jackson Voorhaar & Mitch Alexander : Satan’s Finest

By Colin Flaherty

Joining forces over their love of heavy metal music, Mitch Alexander & Jackson Voorhaar (he even sounds like a black metal vocalist!) present a great two hander stand up show. Unlike other heavy metal comedians who skim over their metal material, these guys have made the effort to ensure that they stick to their metal title throughout. This is certain to please the predominately Metal-Head audience this show will attract but is careful not to alienate others.

Mitch gives us material that has the veneer of being exclusive to the metal scene, but underneath it all is a universality that appeals to all. Stories about mating rituals have been covered by every comedian and their dog but setting them in the metal world gives them a wonderful twist. Those familiar with the metal references can chuckle in recognition while others can laugh at how silly it all appears to the outside world. He does some obvious material relating to the hypocrisy afforded to metal but does so with such conviction. Despite putting fear into the souls of delicate punters with examples of his singing Mitch is a charming performer who commands the stage with confidence.

Jackson takes the unhinged loner approach to his stage persona. He has a warped way with words and his main source of humour comes from outrageous comments using creative descriptions to add a sense of the bizarre. It’s not so much using shock for the sake of it but rather the unexpectedness of where he steers things which provides much joy. With his gangly frame he utilises the entirety of the small stage to add plenty of colour and movement with his exaggerated rock moves.

Concluding the show with some audience participation is fun for those game enough to join in but is a little clichĂ©. It doesn’t really end things on a huge laugh, leaving everyone sweaty instead, but it seems to be a suitable substitiute Endorphin release.

This is a brilliant pairing of two different performers to give the audience enough variety while covering the same topic. I raise the horned hand in appreciation.

Satan’s Finest is on at The Horse Bazzar.
http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2013/season/shows/satan-s-finest-jackson-voorhaar-mitch-alexander

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