Author: Colin

Nothing To See Here, Just A Totally Normal Comedy Show, Wouldn’t Worry About It.

By Colin Flaherty

Nothing To See Here, Just A Totally Normal Comedy Show, Wouldn’t Worry About It is the latest show by Jett Bond and Zoe Heim (with a special apearance by James Collopy). Known for their interesting, almost experimental, concepts, this is another work that subverts theatrical convention and cleverly blurs the line between the stage and outside world.

The Fringe program blurb spells out what happens but it’s done so kinda cryptically. This show is probably best experienced cold as the bulk of the humour comes from the many surprises in this roller coaster ride of a performance. Jett and Zoe have created a brilliant high energy story that sweeps up the audience into an almost cult like fervour.

This performance requires a great deal of audience participation to propel the plot forward. On the surface, the tasks assigned to the punters seem rather daunting as they seem to involve venturing past the safe confines of the theatre. We soon realise that we are in safe hands with a covert supporting cast to keep the interactions silly and fun for both participants and the rest of the audience.

There is a strong script at the heart of this show but the often ramshackle audience participation combined with very loose performances by both Jett and Zoe give the impression of a show that’s likely to fall apart at any moment. This sense of danger gives things a real spark that keeps the audience enthralled and rolling about throughout.

An extensive audio visual component drives this show using whiteboards, corkboards, pieces of paper and a projection screen. Their tech handles sound and lighting perfectly but curiously Zoe spends a fair chunk of the show tinkering on a laptop at side of stage to create the screen visuals. Some of this is in keeping with the story but it often leaves Jett alone with the audience to engage in some awkward banter that slows things down.

This is the first Fringe show that I’ve seen that creates a clear demarcation between paying audience and freeloading fellow performers. Whether this is a metaphor for the ticketing system or an attempt to stop other performers from upstaging them, both seem apt.

Despite its rough edges, this is an immensely fun and rather unique communal experience that fully embraces the spirit of the Fringe.

Nothing To See Here, Just A Totally Normal Comedy Show, Wouldn’t Worry About It is on at Theory Bar until October 19

https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/whats-on/events/nothing-to-see-here-just-a-totally-normal-comedy-show-wouldn-t-worry-about-it

King of the Pigs

By Colin Flaherty

King of the Pigs was a one man sketch show featuring improviser Barney Pollock. Here we met a cast of hilariously grotesque characters and were dragged kicking and screaming into their unhinged realities. We met such individuals as the hallucinating pest exterminator, a strange lounge singer, the extreme helicopter parent and an insane Faerie on the English Moors.

These scenarios were a sequence of colourful characters who introduced themselves, told us of their wacky world view, subjected us to some slightly uncomfortable banter and then abruptly transformed into the next. Darting about the stage, often with a evil look in his eyes, he used great physicality to flesh out each of these creatures beautifully and keep us laughing at their eccentricities.

Being the only one on stage necessitated that costume changes were economical and sometimes haphazard to keep the action moving. His recycling of clothing between characters meant that his gestures and the odd prop did the heavy lifting in differentiating between one freaky creature and the next. Needless to say he pulled this off with ease.

Audience banter played a considerable part in this show. A lot of the time the punter wouldn’t have a clear idea of what exactly Barney was prompting/fishing for which led to some awkward silences. Although the audience eventually warmed to the shows’ premise, he did have some amusing responses up his sleeve for when people either didn’t want to play or were simply confused.

The sole exit to the theatre was located not too far from the stage. Unfortunately there was an almost constant stream of people exiting and re-entering the theatre (possibly to whet their whistles at the bar – perhaps some folks need a stiff drink to cope with this freakiness!) which became quite distracting for the audience and seemingly for Barney. He handled it quite well by freezing, casting a glare and making a quip in keeping with his current character.

A special commendation goes to his tech Caitlyn Staples who created a brilliant audio visual feast to flesh out this bizarre and often unsettling world. Audio cues were perfectly timed for Barney to react to and the lighting effects brought us into the troubled minds of these lunatics. The smoke machine certainly got a heavy workout.

Those up for an hour of David Lynchian strangeness will find plenty to appeal. This off the wall menagerie were immensely silly and had the audience roaring throughout.

King of the Pigs is on at Improv Conspiracy until October 18

https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/whats-on/events/king-of-the-pigs

jks: a comedy(?)

By Colin Flaherty

Tom Ballard’s play jks: a comedy(?) is, as the Americans would say, very inside baseball. Set backstage at a comedy gig, it is filled with references to the Australian comedy scene which the comedy nerds will salivate over and a number of dark jokes that are normally confined to the safe space of the Green Room. Focusing on the thorny subject of percieved offence in comedy, it’s audience appeal extends beyond just those in the comedy world given our current culture wars.

This Green Room contained a range of characters immensely familiar to those who regularly see stand up in pubs. The cast, a mixture of trained actors and jobbing comedians, were all excellent in their portrayal of our quintet. Nicky Barry (playing the world weary Matriarch of the room) and Tom Ballard (as the “right on” SJW of comedy) seemed to be playing slightly tweaked versions of themselves so they pulled these roles off with ease. Kevin Hofbauer and Tiana Hogben were immensely impressive in their respective roles of edgy comedian and young clown. Aside from an impassioned speech near the end, Jordan Barr’s Rhi didn’t get a hell of a lot to do but her snarky comments peppered throughout were a joy.

It felt like a companion piece to Greg Fleet’s 2005 play (and subsequent television series) “Die on Your Feet”  which saw comedians talking shit to (and about) each other and pitted the old guard against the new school. Tom’s version features a more diverse cast (we actually have two females and one non-binary person, how’s that for progress over 20 years?) and really digs deep into how we consume and view comedy in the online world.

The two male characters dominated the script with their constant bickering about what type of comedy is valid. The others were mostly there trying to maintain sanity as tensions escalated to fever pitch. Laughs droped off as things got very shouty and serious – ramping up the pressure with the odd respite of a witty self aware quip to briefly release the pressure.  Tiana Hogben’s naive clown was an welcome respite adding much needed levity with the silliest of lines.

The staging was very bare boned with some chairs for our mirthmeisters to sit on when they weren’t pacing around. The audio design was well done with the sound from the “stage” encroaching the Green Room and affecting the comedians at appropriate moments. One letdown was the “audience on three sides” set up of the staging in the venue. This was fine when most of the cast wandered around but the often static character of May had her back to a large swathe of the punters throughout the performance.

A fascinating and hilarious exploration of the state of comedy in the year 2025. Bravo!

jks: a comedy(?)  is on at Trades Hall until October 12

https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/whats-on/events/jks-a-comedy

Nick Robertson : Everything That Happened At Number 68

By Peter Hodgson

From the second you step into the room for Nick Robinson’s show Everything That Happened At Number 68, you feel welcomed. Literally, because Nick has brought plenty of tea for everyone (“Earl Grey, for sluts”), and even cushions and blankets in case your butt doesn’t like the seats or you feel a bit chilly. There are even snacks. It’s such a literally inviting way to begin this show, which is a collection of stories from Robinson’s first share house experience.

Nick Robinson is endearing, confessional, kind and friendly, but also cheeky, occasionally-dark-but-for-just-a-second, and not afraid to throw in a way-too-personal detail or anecdote (this show has a whole section about who left their butt plug in the bathtub). That’s perfect for a show about the sexed-up, longnecks-and-cones vibe of a 20something share house. Sometimes Robinson is the protagonist of his stories, sometimes he’s an observer, and sometimes he’s dragged wildly between the two poles as his flatmates wreak youthful havoc around him.

Now, let’s make this clear: it’s not a ‘share house from hell’ story. It’s downright heartwarming in a lot of places. We get to know Robinson’s flatmates (including a bunny named George), their habits, their personalities, their quirks. And, helpfully, as each character is introduced, their photo is pinned up from a clothes line hanging across the stage. It’s a great device for people like me who have a hard time keeping up when I’m hearing a story about a bunch of strangers. It’s easy to remember who did what to whom because I can see their photos right there. Thanks Nick!

Occasionally Robinson will stumble over a phrase, rush to a punchline too soon and have to backtrack, or get a little verbally tangled. This would be an issue for most comedians but Robinson creates an environment that makes it completely okay, all from the very outset. It’s just part of the atmosphere, the confessional vibe, the relaxed inviting warmth of sharing stories.

I’ve seen Robinson a few times in recent years, at MICF and spots at comedy clubs. Every year he gets more assured and more bold in his storytelling, more ready to take chances and take big swings. Everything That Happened At Number 68 is a really fun show and very much worth your time, and it hints at the more self-assured comedian Robinson is on his way to becoming. He’s already hilarious but this show contains the seeds of something that has potential to grow to something really unique.

Nick Robertson performs Everything That Happened At Number 68 at The Chinese Museum until April 20

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/browse-shows/everything-that-happened-at-number-68/

Handful Of Bugs : Bigfoot: In Plain Sight

By Colin Flaherty

Bigfoot : In Plain Sight tells the story of Canadian Bigfoot enthusiast Robert H. McKinley. We witness the tale of his father Robert H. McKinley Senior – his encounters with this creature of mythology and the community that ridiculed him for what they saw as tall stories. Junior makes it his mission to prove that his father was right all along.

Those expecting a long comical slog through the forest in search of Bigfoot will be surprised that he encounters the cryptid quite early on, partly because the timeline jumps all over the place but mostly the beast just appears. Instead it becomes a hilarious quest to follow the trail left behind by his father and all the lunacy that encompasses.

Emerging from a tent in tighty whiteys, performer Alex Donnelly executes this one handed play perfectly. He mimes his way through all sorts of wacky situations and interacts with other characters using some brilliant vocal gymnastics and wonderful comical expressions. A pair of disbelieving local yokels are given plenty of stage time with their complicated menage a trios as they exchange banter at a breakneck pace that has Donnelly rapidly changing vocal and physical mannerisms expertly so that we can easily follow the conversation.

This tightly scripted piece manages to include some gentle audience interaction. These exchanges do not affect the plot in any way but cleverly relies on Melbourne audiences’ reluctance to participate – giving him nothing so that he can make a joke about their silence. I wonder how he handles an eager, vocal punter?

The soundtrack to this mayhem is a beautiful cacophony of cartoonish sound effects. Wacky soundbites of pop cultural voices pop up, adding to the craziness with some extra giggles. While this performance is primarily through mime, brilliant use of props feature throughout with some impressive hat acting. Some great visual spectacles happen in this onstage campsite that are milked for laughs as we marvel at the technical aspects.

This a brilliant show that had the audience in hysterics throughout and gasping at the huge bombshell of an ending. Lace on your hiking boots to ascend the many stairs of The Malthouse to witness this awesome show.

Bigfoot: In Plain Sight is on at The Malthouse until April 20

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/browse-shows/bigfoot-in-plain-sight/

Clara Cupcakes : Aspic – The Joys of Gelatinous Cooking & Home Maintenance: The Ultimate Guide to Womanhood

By Colin Flaherty

Perfect housewife and best selling author Clara Cupcakes has hit the big time landing her own television show. As part of the studio audience, we witness the pilot episode featuring, hopefully, famous guests and various gelatinous creations.

This is on odd period piece. Advertised as being set in 1974 with the Women’s Liberation Movement in full swing in the background somewhere. Our host however seems to be stuck in the 1950s in both appearance and demeanour, oblivious that full time housewife is a role that’s kinda on the way out. 2025 also kicks its way into this reality as we delight in Clara dealing with modern attitudes while interacting with the audience and looking confused when the younger folk fail to understand her references.

The world of Clara Cupcakes is a strange and often terrifying place. The repeated attempts at fetching her aspic masterpiece features creepy lighting and a loud visceral reaction from Clara. A number of surreal sequences left me scratching my head trying to understand the logic of it all. There was likely some symbolism I didn’t pick up on or the randomness is simply there to keep us on our toes.

Repetition plays a major role in the show with concepts often pushed to breaking point. A disturbing burlesque routine-cum-advertorial goes on and on and gets messier and messier until Clara is an exhausted wreck. Kitschy musical interludes introducing each segment play for slightly too long as we giggle watching her awkwardly dance along.

The larger than life Clara is a whirlwind of energy on stage. Everything is done in a hilarious frenzy and the props end up all over the place. She throws herself into silly mimes and some laughably bad impressions. When she does slow down, it’s to portray her wonderfully droll Grandmother with her indeterminate European accent.

She can be a rather monstrous character with terse exchanges when punters fail to perform the exact task to her vague gestures or correctly respond to her prompts. The increasing list of guests, each with someplace better to be, pushes her to breaking point before she explodes and lays bare the artifice of the show with some cheeky jibes at the theatrical world. There are several tragic tales from her family providing some darkness to the light and garnering empathy towards her.

Being the second show of the run, it was a little rough around the edges. We laughed at the obvious errors happening and not all the jokes landed. These are things that will be ironed out as the season progresses but it is already a fascinating show.

Aspic – The Joys of Gelatinous Cooking & Home Maintenance: The Ultimate Guide to Womanhood is on at The Motley Bauhaus until April 20

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/browse-shows/aspic/