Simon Godfrey: Sauce

By Lisa Clark Simon Godfrey's sauce

The thing that made me want to see Sauce is The 5 Good Reasons that Simon submitted (yes they CAN work!). They were so whacky that they made me chuckle and he did not sell his show short. He promised a heavy use of Trebuchets in his show and they might be imaginary but there really is a lot of catapulting going on. And yachts? Yes two of the minor characters are yachts.

There is no dilly dallying with welcomes or warming the audience, we were taken straight into the world of tomato sauce hating schoolboy Max, his nemesis Bartholomew and evil school principal of St Optimus Primary (probably the best pun of the Fringe) Mr Matthews. The mind bending plot, that is quite difficult to recount afterwards, surprised us by having a hint of a political venom in its tail, it involves Madam President of the United States flying Airforce One, Putin, Peterson of The Trebuchet Society and a small nuclear device.

This is a one man show with Simon Godfrey playing all the parts. Simon’s mime and acting skills are wonderful. We were treated to a vast array of characters with silly voices and there were lots of laughs all the way through. There are three Acts so that Simon gets to catch his breath and say hi to the audience in the two brief breaks before jumping back into the mayhem.

The scenario comes from a small premise of a young boy refusing sauce at a school sausage sizzle that escalates out of all proportion reminding me of a Simpsons episode until it reminds me more of South Park. There are interludes of fabulous literal depictions of lines in the script that remind me of the surprise cutaway scenes in The Young Ones and of course it was inevitably going to end in a Goodies style sauce battle.

As is one half of sketch duo This is Siberian Husky, Simon is no stranger to entertaining an audience and it’s all pretty sleek. Simon is adept at employing running gags and call backs into the well written script. The lighting in particular is excellent. Without any sets or props for this complex and convoluted plot the lighting becomes vital in telling the audience where we are. For example the red light signals the running gag in the tomato sauce factory and the green lights remind us that we’re back in the swamp.

Sauce is a riotous ride into some weird and wild territory, there’s a lot going on, so pay attention, it’ll be worth it.

Simon Godfrey’s Sauce is on at The Lithuanian Club til Oct 3

https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/program/event/view/0b265fac-5bbe-4baa-ad1a-e6b48c756892

 

This is Siberian Husky – Boneshaker

By Cathy Culliver

If there’s one thing This is Siberian Husky are definitely not, it’s lacking in energy. Duo Dan Allemann and Simon Godfrey are known for their quirky brand of frenetically-paced sketch comedy, and their latest offering, Boneshaker, is no exception. This show is lively, fervent and above all highly entertaining, though it’s certainly not for anyone looking for a relaxing hour of traditional stand up and ordinary humour.

Absurd but thought-provoking at the same time, Boneshaker takes its audience through highs and lows, from creepy to mundane, from touching to the downright silly. The show covers everything from the Melbourne housing crisis to expired yoghurt to the pros and cons of boiling cats. So to say you never quite know what’s coming next would be a fair understatement.

This is Siberian Husky are a slick, tight unit, never dropping a beat throughout the hour-long show. Switching effortlessly from posh English gents to deranged monsters in a matter of seconds, the duo change characters in the blink of an eye; as an audience member, it’s part of the fun just to see them do it.

The duo’s mime skills also certainly deserve a mention. Armed with the most minimalist of props, Allemann and Godfrey never leave the audience doubting that they are being guided through a dark, twisted world of fascinating characters, even though in reality it’s just a couple of guys on a stage, putting on accents and standing on boxes.

The pace with which the duo perform the show is impressive, and it’s obvious how much hard work has gone into making the skits flow so effortlessly from one to the next. The energy both guys put into the show is intense and passionate, so it’s no wonder than Allemann had to apologise for sweating onto an audience member during one of the skits.

This show is definitely a must-see if you like comedy to be silly, surprising and just that little bit unsettling. But in a good way, of course.

This is Siberian Husky – Boneshaker is showing at the Lunch Room, Melbourne Town Hall.

http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2012/season/shows/boneshaker-this-is-siberian-husky/