Melbourne Fringe Festival – Page 24

Randy Writes A Novel

By Daniel Paproth

Most everyone who has even a passing interest in comedy knows Randy – the purple, foul-mouthed, philosophic puppet that has long accompanied Sammy J on his adventures and misadventures – most brilliantly in their new ABC TV show Rickett’s Lane. But few might be aware at how well Randy holds the attention of a room flying solo.

At a packed Lithuanian Club Ballroom on Sunday night Randy held sway over the audience, making us laugh, squirm, applaud and even sit on the edge of our seats, waiting to see which direction this 60+ minute show would turn next. The loose premise is that Randy, something of a struggling artist, has written a novel, and here, in front of this crowd, he will read it aloud to us. Except, he just can’t quite get going. Writing can be quite personal, and it appears Randy isn’t yet ready to spill his heart out in front of people. So what, then, becomes of the show?

Luckily, all the rants and raves smashing around in that purple head of Randy’s that he uses to procrastinate from reading his novel are brilliant – hilarious, whip-smart, quick-witted and impressively well-researched. After swiftly dealing with some would-be hecklers – including one fellow Fringe artist in the front row (“Did you pay to see this show or did you use your artist pass?” “My artist pass” “Ohh get fucked”) Randy delves into the maddening complaints of the bourgeoisie; from buying up land in inner-city suburbs (“Docklands can suck a fuck”) to meat-eaters who condescendingly provide “some fun facts” for vegetarians and vegans as to why their dietary choices must suck. Other hilarious detours include the benefits of being pulled over for drink-driving as a tee-totaller, McDonald’s home delivery, the tenets of Buddhism packed into about two minutes and the life of Ernest Hemingway into about three minutes (Hemingway’s “the first draft of everything is shit” being one of the show’s inspiration points).

It is a strange experience watching only a puppet for an hour. I have seen plenty of comedy over the years but nothing quite like this – and it is a testament to Randy that after about two or three minutes you forget that it is a puppet, such is the skill. Robust facial and body expressions abound and at many points you just feel like you’re in a conversation with your overly-enthusiastic, curse-happy friend. Swearing in comedy shows is of course hit-and-miss, but it’s all hit here. There is something inherently funny about an alien-looking purple puppet casually, effortlessly dropping f- and c-bombs around.

The show could use tightening. The rants – while well-researched and well-delivered – threaten to go on to long and put the show into something of a lull, and the search for a resonant emotional ending doesn’t quite hit the mark, but it matters little with a very strong penultimate scene about Randy picking up a bookcase through Gumtree. Highly Recommended.

Randy Writes A Novel is on til Sept 25 so get in quick!

For tickets & Info

https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/program/event/view/d1560223-482a-4a54-9fb0-7d3cde5724ff

5 Good Reasons To See Hewy & Taunts Go H.A.M.

1. Tim’s first girlfriend said his flaccid penis was cute.

2. Taunts once fell off his bed during orgasm and caught his sperm.

3. Tim pissed on his mum at his 21st (accidently).

4. Taunts still wishes he didn’t throw away pro golf for bongs.

5. Good boys. Good show. Good way to spend an hour at 6pm at the Imperial.

Hewy & Taunts Go H.A.M. is on at 6PM at the Imperial Hotel from September 26th to

October 2nd

For Info and tickets: https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/program/event/view/169d64f3-4f92-46fc-beaa-220cfb0623b8

5 Good REASONS to see Lisa-Skye and Nick Caddaye are Gentlemen’s Agreement

1) Does your sense of humour confuse other people? Then do we have a show for you!

2) Gentlemen’s Agreement features two of Australia’s first comics together on stage for the first time. Except for that other time. But that was ages ago, and doesn’t really count.

3) What else are you gonna do, huh? Stay home and watch The Mentalist? What’s Simon Baker even up to these days? I hope we was well paid for those ANZ ads…

4) What happens when you put one of Australia’s weirdest stand-ups on stage with one of Australia’s finest sketch comedy writers? They struggle to remember their lines, is what. Bloody hell, it’s been a struggle…

5) It’s good. No, seriously. It’s funny and interesting and clever and not especially expensive. You should come.

Lisa-Skye and Nick Caddaye’s Gentlemen’s Agreement is on at The Tuxedo Cat til Sept 24

https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/program/event/view/2b46f6a5-1bc8-4a2f-8f7b-2f4cbd96d262

Lisa-Skye and Nick Caddaye are Gentlemen’s Agreement

By Lisa Clark

Lisa-Skye & Nick Caddaye could have named their show The Odd Couple, they are such a comical pairing. The older and wiser, grumpy Nick clearly has a love for and a great deal of experience with sketch comedy, Lisa-Skye has less experience in sketch but does a fabulous job as exuberant second banana to Nick’s uptight straight man. And does this show have bananas?! This show has bananas.

Lisa-Skye has been performing for several years and is a completely unique presence on the Melbourne comedy scene. As well as her own standup shows she’s been doing late night alternative chat shows or ‘Tea parties’ at The Tuxedo Cat, this has helped her become very relaxed on stage, experienced at bouncing well off other performers and adept at audience interaction. It’s great to see Nick on stage again since the demise of his first comedy duo Mr Al & Mr Nick and being the performer & mastermind behind the sketch troupe Anarchist Guild Collective. In recent years he has been concentrating on writing and directing, which has included The Fabulous Christmas Panto for adults The Terminativity and directing Rama Nicholas’ Death Rides a Horse and Lisa-Skye’s Song’s My Parents Taught Me. I remember thinking when I heard he was directing Lisa-Skye that it was a bit of an odd pairing, but obviously they saw the comic potential and decided to put on a show together, and joyfully, it actually works.

Despite the comical bickering and teasing, the thing that clearly connects them is their deep sense of political outrage and although it is mostly kept in the background, it is the backbone of the show overall. The few overtly political skits threaten to let them down, with all the changes and upheaval that have happened in our Federal government since this strongly scripted show was put together, but Nick and Lisa-Skye handle it beautifully still getting lots of laughs, while sympathising with their Fringe colleagues working on Abbott! The Musical.

A lot of the sketches are just delightfully silly mucking around, some food and a fake thingy are thrown about and there are a string of advertising sketches, the highlight being a father and transgender offspring selling pergolas that was so funny it had people nearly falling out of their seats and I found it hard to breathe. I suspect it will be the highlight of my 2015 Fringe.

It’s at Tuxedo Cat so you know it’s going to be unconventional and edgy. This also has intelligence and pizazz. Everything about this show is well thought through, including the lighting and sound which are well conceived and brilliantly employed.

A fabulous sparkly sketch show for grown ups at The Fringe.

Lisa-Skye and Nick Caddaye’s Gentlemen’s Agreement is on at The Tuxedo Cat til Sept 24

https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/program/event/view/2b46f6a5-1bc8-4a2f-8f7b-2f4cbd96d262

5 Good Reasons to see We’re Living in the Future – Matt Harvey

1. You’ve already seen it. Like Dr. Manhattan you are an effect of your own cause, you have seen it, you will see it. You can’t fight destiny, you will book your ticket now.

2. Its not purely science fiction! For those afraid they will be lost in references like the above one, it does cater to an audience of varying amounts of knowledge. Its Science, Politics, everyday life all wrapped in a shiny theme, Science Fiction.

3. You like to laugh at the absurd nature of life and the universe.
If I’ve learnt nothing else from Tinder it is people like people who like to laugh, come see my show and then you can tell your Tinder dates about how cultured you are and how much you love to laugh at the absurdities of life.

4. We left 96 bags of faeces urine and vomit on the moon.
That is just one piece of information I learned researching this show. Imagine what you will learn when you come to see it.

5. Steven Hawking has all but confirmed that there is a multiverse, so you want to make sure you are living in Earth Prime, the best universe. In order for that to happen you should be in my audience. All those other multi-verses can suck it!

We’re Living in the Future is a one off performance by Matt Harvey on Oct 2 at The Open Stage Melbourne Uni.

https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/program/event/view/cb4018c6-7a49-456e-b039-ea73aa6ffb3e

Joseph Green – ah yes, the music

By Colin Flaherty

There isn’t a more Fringe venue than a small living room in a flat in Elwood. Joseph Green uses this intimate space to present a series of amusing stories from his life about finding acceptance and love. Not only is he letting you into his home, he is also letting you into his heart…or I’m reading too much into this and he is avoiding paying venue hire.

There was zero signage pointing the way to the venue so you need to head to the first flat on the upper level. With an amplified microphone set up near the front door, you wonder what the neighbours must think of these nightly shenanigans. In spite of jokes about serial killers and orgies, the awkwardness of being in a stranger’s home quickly subsided.

Each night has two guest performers who serve as warm ups and emcee for Green’s performance. On this night we were treated to tight-ish fives by Adam Jacobs and Jacqueline Mifsud. Jacobs was a rather dapper gent who delivered plenty of wacky observations with plenty of pregnant pauses and a bit of mugging that was a delight. Mifsud told a number of amusing tales about living in Paris and dating a French fella which was a little raunchy at times.

Green gently eased himself into to the show proper, a collection of stories about the amusing situations he found himself in as he searched for a vocation and a soul mate. He was an engaging storyteller and had plenty of amusing gags peppered throughout but he tended to include excessive details. Even though these tales had hilarious payoffs the journey often became a bit of a slog. I’m sure further experience will see him tighten these tales into lean and punchy stories.

With these informal environs the show had an extremely relaxed atmosphere around it, causing Green to have a major issue with time management. He had given himself quite a lengthy script to deliver, that had to be digested in full so that the show could neatly wrap up, which easily exceeded the advertised 50 minutes on its own. Factor in the two support acts and opportunities to banter with the audience, and this show ran way over time. Punters should ensure that their schedules are clear immediately following this performance until Green does some major editing.

Despite its flaws, this was an entertaining show in a unique setting that was an experience worth undertaking.

ah yes, the music is on at Treehouse (& two nights at Longplay) until October 3rd

https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/program/event/view/8ede0c5a-2bc8-4f8a-a95c-6a06ff155129