MICF 2021 Shows we’ve previously Reviewed

Well.

Hello Everybodeeeee!

It’s been a while and we’ve been through the wars and semi hibernation and discovered online live comedy

BUT

isn’t it great to have live comedy back with us! We’re feeling pretty lucky to be able to have a Melbourne International Comedy Festival, much reduced though it will be. We are already pretty excited about so many shows (live and virtual) this year!

And Yes we will be going out to taste the delights of the Festival to report back on What’s Going On.

As always we begin our coverage with  a list of shows in this year’s festival that we have already seen, along with links to our thoughts about them. As usual we give the disclaimer that festival shows are ever evolving entities so they will certainly have changed since we sat in the audience.

Ali McGregor’s Late-Nite Variety-Nite Night

Here’s Lisa’s review from Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2016:

Always a wonderful way to catch some of the best quirky acts from the Melbourne International Comedy Festival handpicked by our gorgeous host.

https://www.squirrelcomedy.com/?p=9937

Ali McGregor’s Late-Nite Variety-Nite Night is on at The Famous Spiegeltent at Arts Centre Melbourne Fri – Sun throughout the Festival

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2021/shows/ali-mcgregor-s-late-nite-variety-night

Best of British

Here’s James’ review from Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2017:

Down a quick pint, strap yourself in and go nuts. You’ll have a wonderful time.

https://www.squirrelcomedy.com/?p=11235

Best of British is on at Exford Hotel from March 24 to April 18

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2021/shows/best-of-british

The Breast of the Fest

Here’s Jess’s review from Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2019:

It’s a refreshing show, with each of the comics bringing something different to the evening, but all bringing more than a few laughs.

https://www.squirrelcomedy.com/?p=13671

The Breast of the Fest is on at Trades Halle from March 25 to April 4

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2021/shows/the-breast-of-the-fest

Faulty Towers The Dining Experience

Here is Ron’s review from Edinburgh Fringe 2008:

This was one of the most madcap and fun packed dining experiences I can recall. I laughed so hard my jaw is aching.

https://www.squirrelcomedy.com/?p=1633

Faulty Towers The Dining Experience is on at The Duke of Wellington Hotel from April 8 – 18
https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2021/shows/faulty-towers-the-dining-experience

Impromptunes : The Completely Improvised Musical

Here’s Hooi’s review from Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2018:

A charming show that showcases the improvisational and musical talents of the performers… absolutely engrossing.

https://www.squirrelcomedy.com/?p=12663

The Completely Improvised Musical is on at Trades Hall from April 5 to 18

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2021/shows/impromptunes

Matt Harvey : I Got Bit by a Monkey Once

Here’s Peter’s review from Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2019:

Matt’s show is intimate and warm. It’s rather like listening to a friend telling you stories about their recent travels.

https://www.squirrelcomedy.com/?p=13806

I Got Bit by a Monkey Once is on at Caz Reitops Dirty Secrets from March 31 to April 11

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2021/shows/matt-harvey

Scout Boxall : Good Egg

Here is Colin’s review from Melbourne Fringe 2019:

Scout has the funny bones to pull off anything vaguely comedic with an ease and comfort on stage…

https://www.squirrelcomedy.com/?p=14366

Good Egg is on at Trades Hall from March 25 to April 4

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2021/shows/scout-boxall-good-egg

Southplayers: Completely Improvised Shakespeare

Here is Lisa’s review from Melbourne Fringe 2015:

A band of merrie players you can put your trust in for a fun night of storytelling and making stuffe up.

https://www.squirrelcomedy.com/?p=9433

Completely Improvised Shakespeare is on at Trades Hall from April 5 to 18
https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2021/shows/soothplayers

 

Game Boys Cinematic Universe

By Lisa Clark

The Game Boys are brothers Eden and Joshua Porter and this is their fifth original show together. It is not surprising that they’ve garnered a swag of award nominations, including one for The Golden Gibbo earlier this year for Cinematic Universe at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. They run their festival show like a well-oiled machine. It’s hilariously funny and highly polished with some improvised audience participation for added danger and surprises.

Eden and Josh welcome us to their fictional Studio Back Lot Tour as Damo and Mark, identically dressed with Theme Park logo polo shirts. The logos that appear throughout are part of the details that are really impressive. They drop the characters  early on, but I’m glad they don’t let them go. Alternating between characters and themselves throughout. Other characters they play include Angela Bishop & Richard Wilkins doing their own version of Entertainment Tonight on the Red carpet.

Cinematic Universe not only shows a love of films and joy of theme parks but also laughs at the ridiculousness of the film industry with clever use of video montages. We learn how many Air Bud/Buddies movies there are (a LOT) and which movie copycats earned the most at the box office (ie. we have to guess between ANTZ & A Bug’s Life). They are also very enthusiastic about, and pay tribute to another theme park satire Jurassic Park. So there is a bit of a Theme Park satire within a Theme Park satire going on which is deliciously meta. There is also a tribute to the lamest of Theme Park shows – such as the Police Academy Stunt Show at Movie World on the Gold Coast. The Game Boys spin on this is very silly.

There is a lot of audience participation in the show, from the undemanding – the audience pretending they are on a Back Lot Tour – to dragging someone on stage. I’m not a fan of extreme audience participation, but having a lot of Fringey performer types in the audience helps this go pretty smoothly. Getting an audience member doing foley sound effects for them goes on way too long though it does showcase their excellent mime skills. The thing that really wows the audience is the technical design which is just remarkable and the tech guy does a stunning job at carrying it all off.

The Game Boys are very much about popular culture, with a nerdy edge and they bounce around enthusiastically with almost too much energy for a rather late night show. Some parts of this production are so sharp and slick that it feels more like choreography than comedy, reminiscent of Aunty Donna or even the Umbilical Brothers. Their content has a wide appeal and they are extremely good at what they do. The packed audience loves them and I can see them performing to very large audiences in the future. See this brilliant, hilarious show while they are in a smaller venue and you can say I saw them when….

Game Boys Cinematic Universe is on at Trades Hall until September 29
https://melbournefringe.com.au/event/game-boys-cinematic-universe/

2019 Melbourne International Comedy Award Winners

 

2019 AWARD WINNERS

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival Award for the best show: James Acaster (UK) Cold Lasagne Hate Myself 1999

Nominees:
Anne Edmonds- What’s Wrong With You? 
Cassie Workman – Giantess
Geraldine Hickey – Things Are Going Well
Nath Valvo – I’m Happy For You
Tom Allen (UK) – Absolutely 

Blake Freeman

The Best Newcomer: Blake Freeman – There’s Something There 

Nominees:
Dan Rath – Bubble Bath
Nina Oyama – Needs a Lift
Oliver Coleman – Poolside

Joshua Ladgrove

The Golden Gibbo Award (for an artistic independent production): Neal Portenza & Joshua Ladgrove –Neal Portenza is Joshua Ladgrove

Nominees for The Golden Gibbo Award:
Game Boys – Game Boys Cinematic Universe
Lauren Bok – Rock Out With Your Bok Out 
Margot Tanjutco – Vanity Fair Enough

Urzila Carlson

Oliver Coleman – Poolside
Patrick Collins – Mime Consultant / Patrick Collins And the Magic Shoe

People’s Choice Award: Urzila Carlson Loser 

This award signifies that Urzila Carlson sold the most tickets at this year’s Festival.

Aaron Chen

The Directors’ Choice Award: Aaron Chen – Piss Off (Just Kidding) 

Presented by Melbourne International Comedy Festival Director Susan Provan

The Pinder Prize: Sam Taunton – Straight From The Shoulder & Steph Tisdell – The Pyramid

This Award funds their trips to the Edinburgh Fringe
to perform at Assembly Festival. It was presented by Demi Lardner

Geraldine Hickey

Piece of Wood Award (Peer Award from other comedians):  Geraldine Hickey – Things Are Going Well

Presented by Greg Fleet who created the Award and Heath Franklin last year’s winner.

Funny Tonne Winner: John Souness

Deadly Funny National Grand Final winner: Fabian Woods

Fady Kassab

RAW Comedy Grand Final Winner: Fady Kassab (NSW)  
Fady has won a trip to The Edinburgh Fringe Festival to compete in So You Think You’re Funny?.
RAW Runners-Up: Suraj Kolarkar (QLD) and Laura Hutchinson (WA)

Class Clowns National Grand Final Winners Patti Fawcett (Bendigo South East College, VIC)
Class Clowns Runners-Up:
Whose My Parents? (Ben Depoma, Cyrus James-Hankin, Soren Pryor) from St Theresa’s Catholic College Abergowrie, QLD, and Nic Doring (Alexandria Park Community High School NSW)

5 Good Reasons to see Game Boys Cinematic Universe

1.    With a unique blend of fast paced comedy and high-tech audio-visual design, a Game Boys show is unlike anything you’ll see at the festival.

2.    They were nominated for Best Comedy at Melbourne Fringe last year. So you know the Fringe Festival thinks they’re creative, original, unique and the perfect amount of weird still palatable by the mainstream.

3.    They were nominated for the Golden Gibbo in 2017. So you know the Comedy Festival thinks they’re creative, original, unique and financially unsustainable.

4.    Jurassic Park is the greatest film of all time. Fact.

5.    Above all, everyone leaves a Game Boys show with a big smile on their faces. Everyone gets swept up in the brother’s infectious personalities and sharp writing plus they’ve spared no expense.

Game Boys Cinematic Universe is on at ACMI Mar 28 – Apr 7

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2019/shows/game-boys-cinematic-universe

5 Good Reasons to See Game Boys – Wide World of Esports

1) With a unique blend of low-fi handmade props and high-tech audio-visual design, a Game Boys show is unlike anything you’ll see at the festival.

2) They don’t look it, but they really are brothers. Creating comedy shows together is unique. Descending into petty bickering with your sibling is not. But Blanka is way better than Guile.

3) Wide World of Esports may take place at the Elympics of 2092, but this alternate universe looks suspiciously like 1992. It’s set in the future, but it’s also about your childhood.

4) They were nominated for the Golden Gibbo last year. So you know the Comedy Festival thinks they’re creative, original, unique and financially unsustainable.

5) Above all, everyone leaves a Game Boys show with a big smile on their faces. Gamers and non-games alike get swept up in the brother’s infectious personalities and sharp writing.

Wide World of Esports is on at Trades Hall – The Quilt Room until April 22
https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2018/shows/wide-world-of-esports

5 Good Reasons to See Game Boys: Free to Play

1. You’ve played more video games than you realise – You’ll enjoy it whether you’re a gamer or not. But lets be honest, there’s no one reading this who hasn’t played Tetris or The Sims.

2. The Sims – If you delighted in torturing your sims by locking them in a room as they busted to go to the toilet then prepare to torture Eden live on stage.

3. Nostalgia – Take a stroll through your old save games as they navigate growing up in the 90s with Cheez TV, slap bands and crying when you lose a game of NBA Jam. ‘Member NBA Jam? And Doom, if you’ve wanted to be a Pinky Demon from Doom then don’t miss out.

4. High fidelity graphics – The show looks crisp running in 4k at a stable 60fps with HDR, it looks so realistic it’s almost like you’re in the room with them.

5. Mario Kart – Recreated live on stage. For real. If you’ve ever wanted to throw a green shell at Luigi (or Josh) then this is your chance.

Game Boys: Free to Play is on at Tuxedo Cat from September 29 to October 1

https://melbournefringe.com.au/program?event/game-boys-free-to-play/61eea280-3274-43d4-8ea7-b36075541e8f