Julian O’Shea – M is for Melbourne: The World’s Mostly* Liveable City

By Colin Flaherty

M is For Melbourne is a loving look at all things Melbourne. Using an alphabet chart template Julian O’Shea explores topics somewhat related to this city while finding time to bad-mouth Vienna, the city who “stole” our title of World’s Most Livable City.

O’Shea presents all manner of weird and wonderful facts, some of which were news to some Melbourne residents in the crowd. Most tidbits sparked uproarious laughs of recognition from either lived experience, being featured on his YouTube channel or from the Melbourne zeitgeist. The amount of research that has gone into this show is amazing and he is clearly passionate about sharing this information with us. There are plenty jokes using local references making it a somewhat exclusive club.

Julian has a touch of Dave Gorman about him in the way that he creates physical items or content in the real world about most of the topics covered here. Just like Gorman, everything is documented for our delight (such as his flight in the Birdman Rally a few years ago that’s shown in all of its doomed glory).

As you would expect from someone who creates video content online, this a very visual show. Sure he conveys brilliantly engaging detail through his scripted words, but the video element plays a vital part in his storytelling and does a lot of the heavy lifting. His slides and clips not only show proof of his escapades but provide clarity for some of the lesser know facts as well as inserting plenty of cheeky visual jokes.

Then there are many props he has created – either especially for this performance or other projects. Each ridiculously inventive item has a logical purpose in his tales. It is a delight to see them go from being amusingly outlandish concepts on screen to astonishingly silly creations when unveiled in the flesh.

Honing his stagecraft on various screens over a number of years, Julian is a confident performer who makes it look effortless. He bounds through the material at a decent clip with plenty of colour and movement to keep us engaged. His enthusiasm is infectious and keeps everyone laughing throughout, even during some of the dry educational bits.

On the back of his online popularity, this MICF run sold out quickly. Here’s hoping this charmingly amusing performer graces us again with his physical presence soon.

M is for Melbourne is on at Doubletree by Hilton until April 7

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2024/shows/m-is-for-melbourne-the-world-s-mostly-liveable-city

Alanta Colley – Trick or Treatment

By Peter Hodgson

Look, life is hard and we all just want to feel better. It’s only natural, and nature is comforting. So it makes sense to turn to nature itself to feel better, right? Right?!? That’s the question at the heart of Trick Or Treatment, a science-centred comedy show that tracks Alanta Colley’s investigation of various alternative treatments for the chronic fatigue that can rob her of energy, time, creativity and joy.

Public health practitioner, comedian, storyteller and big brain Colley wants us to look at the parallels between big pharma and big chakra. The ways we’re guided towards specific treatments that may or may not be in our best interests but which are certainly interesting to someone else’s bottom line. So we’re taken through four treatments from the perspective of data collection and evaluation (we’re informed there’s another audience watching an empty stage elsewhere as a control group).

 These treatments – homeopathy, acupuncture, some e-meter kinda thing that measures your skin conductivity to apparently determine how much money you should spend on expensive treatments, and psychedelics – are laid out in terms of ‘What are they said to treat? How are they said to treat it? What do the experts say? And what are Alanta’s findings?’

You may expect a certain cynicism going into this show, but there’s a lot of heart to this story. There may be some alternative-medicine shysters trying to bilk scared people out of their money, but the critical eye is directed at those shysters, not the ordinary folks just looking for something, anything, to help them feel better. We look at the mechanics and dichotomies of homeopathy, the history and applications of conductivity meters, the consumer demand for acupuncture, and the claimed benefits of psychedelics in resetting the worldview. We also look at the placebo effect and how it can be employed to achieve real benefit. And we’re given a first hand rundown of an ayahuasca ceremony from soup to nuts (or rather, from tea to psychedelic mindf**k). But not once do we feel Colley is punching down at those who seek these treatments. Some of the practitioners sure take some hits though.

The show is tied together with a Powerpoint presentation and audio-visual cues executed with perfect timing and wit, from a hilarious chart about the research and evaluation phases of the scientific method to the uncomfortable juxtaposition of elevator music and 
well I won’t say any more but if you’re frightened of needles you’ll want to bring along a stress ball.

 Trick Or Treatment is a hugely entertaining, educating show, and Colley is such a warm, confessional storyteller that you feel drawn into her world within minutes of the show starting, and thinking about it long after it’s over. You may never want to drink arsenic again!

Trick or Treatment is on at The butterfly Club until March 31

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2024/shows/trick-or-treatment

Burton Brothers : 1925

By Colin Flaherty

1925. “The greatest year in human history.” Brothers Tom and Josh Burton present an all-singing, all-dancing sketch extravaganza in which we meet all manner of kooky characters from this inter-war period.

Those expecting an accurate period piece will not get one, instead this is a show possibly based on accurate historical facts (I don’t know! I didn’t study early 20th Century History in great detail.) viewed through the lens of the 21st century. Much mirth was found in pointing out the human race’s penchant for repeating history’s mistakes. As you would expect the bulk of the humour revolved around the differences in societal norms between then and now, cleverly done with sly winks to the audience saying “Can you believe this was acceptable back then?” It was a smidge disappointing that the brothers Burton felt they needed to slightly step out of character to assure us they didn’t agree with some of the words that came from their characters mouths. Surely everyone in the room were already on board with the show’s conceit to let these controversial topics slide?

The show wraparound of a pair Radio Announcers was a nice way of transporting us to the time period through the dominant entertainment medium of the time. All sketches featured brilliant punchlines with not a dud amongst them. Rounding out the show with epilogues for most of the featured characters was a tasty cherry on top.

Music featured heavily throughout with tunes from (or near the period) used a links between sketches. Original numbers sung by the characters were full of witty lines that kept us chuckling. One particular nonsensical ditty is an earworm that’s sure to burrow into your brain. These boys sure could belt out the tunes!

This was a slickly polished production with great choreography, music, sound and lighting. They got a little loose at times (especially when thrown a spicy suggestion during an impro section) and it was nice to see the two enjoying themselves up there. Both brothers threw themselves wholeheartedly into this performance with some well executed slapstick, exaggerated gesturing  and plenty of mugging. Their vocal talents were on full display in both their carrying the period tunes and plenty of wacky accents, ranging from Midwest American Yokel to Mid-Atlantic with an Australian twang.

The few moments of audience participation rarely ventured beyond acknowledging a character thrust upon you in service of a sketch but you could feel sphincters clenching as the boys surveyed the crowd.

A fast paced, high energy hour, 1925 kept the audience enthralled and in stitches. A brilliant tour de force from this very talented duo.

1925 is on at Trades Hall until April 7

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2024/shows/burton-brothers

Belinda Anderson-Hunt – The Sun and the Hermit

By Colin Flaherty 

The Sun and the Hermit is peculiar little show. Belinda Anderson-Hunt presents a collection of bizarre characters in what looks like the contents of a dusty deceased estate. Just like the work of David Lynch, whom she namechecks in her blurb, there is the feeling of the familiar in these creatures but something strange is lurking beneath the surface.

The characters she inhabits are simultaneously sweet and unsettling, each effortlessly brought to life with silly vocalisation and nuanced gestures. It is brilliant how she interacts with and reacts to the artificiality of the theatre space with some perfectly executed sound and lighting cues. The musical soundtrack features many enjoyable mood setting classical & jazz pieces that often threaten to drown out the words that she utters.

A deliberately paced show, Anderson-Hunt spends most of her time padding around the stage barefoot, putting on costumes and rearranging the props in a measured manner. We are occasionally allowed to titter and chuckle when this timid little creature drip feeds us the odd whimsical look or amusing quip. After taking her sweet time building up the tension each scene reaches a brilliantly satisfying crescendo, bringing forth much hilarity.  This is not done in a “hit you over the head with loud bombast” but with a kooky and surreal soul emerging from out of nowhere.

Gaulier trained Anderson-Hunt uses the hour to showcase her wonderful clowning skills, both in mime and manipulation of the many props placed around the stage. Even my companion, who is not particularly fond of theatrical clowning, found this performance intriguing and amusing. It certainly helps when the performer knows when to back off from those who do not wish to play.

Audience participation is key to this performance, which even extends to the back rows, as she wanders the room in search of people to play with. It is often difficult to comprehend what it is she actually wants from you with her gesturing without words, finally resorting to some verbal prodding to keep the story rolling along. Be warned that if you are seated up front it’s difficult to see what’s going on behind you without bodily contortion and the low lighting only adds to risk of missing out on some potential gems of comedy.

Even though this is Belinda’s MICF debut, this has already been honed at various Fringe Festivals around the country. What we have is a gentle theatrical experience in the hands of an accomplished performer that brings us to multiple climaxes of mirth. Bravo!

The Sun and the Hermit is on at The Motley Bauhaus until April 5

https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2024/shows/the-sun-and-the-hermit