We're Nuts About Australian Comedy
5 Good Reasons to see Victoria Healy – Get In Line
1. I’m a babe.
2. I’m funny.
3. I’m friendly.
4. I’m available.
5. This is not some ruse to find a date.
Get in Line is on at The Imperial Hotel
For information and tickets see the MICFÂ Website:Â http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2015/season/shows/get-in-line-victoria-healy
Brian McCarthy Memorial Moosehead Awards are more like a supportive grant and 2 – 4 applicants are chosen each year depending on how exciting and different the ideas are. It is a way of promoting creativity in Comedy and the award includes The Comedy Channel Directorâs Grant, which engages a director for each of the Moosehead Award Recipients. If you’ve got some fabulous way out idea for a show that might need some help, you can start thinking about making your application next year.
The winners of the 2015 Moosehead Awards have been announced
They are:
THE GODS
Starring – Bob Franklin, Greg Fleet, Lawrence MooneyBrain child of Steven Gates
JONESTOWN – GUINEA PIGS
Nicholas J Johnson and Sarah Jones
THRASHER: A LIFE IN A SKATE SHOP (working title)
David Quirk
Our congratulations to all of the 2015 Recipients, we look forward to seeing all of these intriguing sounding shows next year during the 2015 Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
For more information check out The Moosehead Awards website:
By Sofia Monkiewicz
 At the beginning of the show, Jason Pestell addressed the fact that it was his media night and kindly offered to write his own review to save us the trouble. He added that he is his own worst critic, and would not hesitate to give himself one star. Now, while he may not be perfect, it is safe to say that his 2014 MICF show is definitely worth more than that (and if we used a star-rating system at Squirrel Comedy, one measly star would simply not suffice).
Perth-born but currently based in Adelaide, Pestell is a genuine nice-guy. His personable nature and conversational tone creates a positive atmosphere where it feels as though he could be chatting to you over a drink or two, and you want to buy the next round. Letâs Go does not have a distinct theme; instead it is a series of mostly unrelated thoughts, observations and memories that are funny without being arrogant or crude. Pestellâs material appeals to all ages. He does not swear to enhance his humour, and does not resort to cheap jokes about alcohol, sex or illegal behaviour, reaching a high-level of hilarity while maintaining a G-rating.
Stories about deaf hecklers, petrol station safety and bookstore pranks are delivered with uninhibited enthusiasm, and a cheeky tale about the perks of a cancelled flight is delightfully endearing and a lot of fun. His passion for comedy developed at a very young age (we are privileged to hear proof of this during his show), and this is made obvious by his effortless ability to fill the entire room with laughter, even if performing to a small crowd. We discover that he is a high school teacher as well as a stand-up comedian, and his anecdotes about including comedy in the classroom, along with helping school-aged children achieve their hopes and dreams, are hilarious.
Charismatic, friendly and relaxed, Pestell may not be well-known or currently drawing in major crowds, but he would no doubt perform excellently whether he was speaking to 3 or 300 audience members. He is incredibly likeable but lacks any sign of an ego, although he has perfected a comical puppy-dog-eyes look in order to get what he wants. If youâre looking to take a punt on a comic you havenât heard of before, and are looking for someone who is entertaining without being offensive, Jason Pestell is your guy. Bring the family.
Jason Pestell performs Letâs Go at The Downstairs Lounge @ The Swanston Hotel
http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2014/season/shows/let-s-go-jason-pestell
By Lisa Clark
Everyoneâs a Winner is a beautiful, intelligent, funny, story show about survival, not fitting in and gaining the strength to walk away and find a better life. Sydney comedian Alice Fraser trained as a lawyer at Cambridge University, but thankfully for comedy audiences a legal life did not suit her and this show is about the miseries of the corporate world and her joyful escape.
Before the story proper Alice Fraser sings us a silly song on her banjo, an instrument which is almost as funny as the ubiquitous ukulele, that she plays wonderfully. Then just to let us know that she can crack out some pretty sharp gags she starts by popping zingers at us inspired by topics set out on cards. They are file cards because her props in the show tend to relate to her corporate theme.
When Alice moves into the story proper there is a change in mood and in manner which has more of a feel of spoken word but luckily is also very funny. Aliceâs topics can get quite dark at times, the high levels of mental illness and suicide in her profession, the deep shame of failure, sexual harassment, the disdain towards women who choose motherhood and working in a place where non conformity is treated like a crime. Seeing her perform comedy and play the banjo, it is not surprising that she felt so out of place, could see through the bullshit and is thankfully able to make comedy about it.
I saw Alice absolutely slay a large comedy room with her intelligent, feminist comedy routine recently. It was then awe inspiring to see how she had expertly placed the jokes from her routine throughout her festival show. Which came first the routine or the festival show? I donât know, but she is clearly mastering both. She has worked out an interesting structure with a warm welcome, Dictaphone messages that tell the story  and routines about the topics that emerge, interspersed with some musical interludes including a lovely sing-along.
It is always fabulous to discover a new hugely talented comedian who is clearly destined for big things. You should discover her too, before she starts selling out in more expensive venues.
Alice Fraser performs Everyoneâs a Winner at The Swanston Hotel in the Downstairs Lounge at 6.15
http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2014/season/shows/everyone-s-a-winner-alice-fraser
By Elyce Phillips
2013 wasnât a great year for Asher Treleaven. Publicist troubles, a horror gig, and a particularly heinous review made for some low times. Good thing heâs an ideas man and is ready to get back on top. In âSmaller Poorer Weaker Cheaperâ, Treleaven plots his comeback via some dodgy business proposals and some entirely healthy processing of criticism. The result is an incredibly funny show that had me in tears.
âSmaller Poorer Weaker Cheaperâ is soaked in the intense enthusiasm of someone desperately trying to turn things around. Before the show even begins, you can hear Treleaven belting out Sinatra behind the curtain. Once things get rolling, exuberant cries of âWoo!â and vigorous fist pumping punctuate quieter moments of the show. The mood Treleaven creates is wonderfully unhinged. He addresses the crowd like a sleazy used car salesman as he tests out some of his proposals to make a quick buck or two. The props fail, the party tricks go awry â itâs all so gloriously shambolic.
As always, Treleavenâs wit absolutely shines in this show. There is a perfect balance of cleverness and silliness. His physical comedy is outstanding, whether heâs crushing his thirst like a man, performing a bizarre nautical dance number, or simply lunging about the stage for emphasis. Treleaven re-visits some older material – his bogan version of âMy Favourite Thingsâ makes an appearance, however it works in the context of the story heâs telling and is just as hilarious this time around. The new material never skips a beat âexcept when itâs meant to. An extensive rant against a poor review for the show is a rage-filled highlight.
âSmaller Poorer Weaker Cheaperâ is an absolute must-see. Asher Treleaven is a unique comedic talent, and this show has one of the best finales in the Festival. Itâs a spectacle that you really shouldnât miss.
Asher Treleaven â Smaller Poorer Weaker Cheaper is playing at the Portico Room at Town Hall and The Swamp at the Gin Palace until April 20.
http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2014/season/shows/smaller-poorer-weaker-cheaper-asher-treleaven
By James Shackell
The night ends with our two stars dead on stage and a small sheep puppet hypnotising the audience and saying âYou will leave here tonight with nothing but the memory of your own sexual pleasure.’ It says a lot about KiDSHoW that this was probably the most normal thing that happened in it.
One of Australiaâs enduring comedy troupes, The Umbilical Brothers are back with their latest paradoxical production, KiDSHoW â Not Suitable for Children. Just to be clear, this is a kidâs show (literally â the Brothers play two performers on a make-believe childrenâsâ television program) but it is definitely not a show for kids; unless of course your kids are really precocious and would appreciate watching the Brady Bunch getting mass mime-murdered, Mickey Mouse getting mime-bashed, and a questionable dealer selling street-mime to innocent passers-by.
I knew going in that Shane Dundas and David Collins were the masters of physical comedy, what I didnât appreciate were their voices. A mime is a terrible thing to waste, and weâre very lucky that two of the most imaginative people our country has ever produced were also gifted the remarkable vocal range necessary to make their twisted dreams a reality. And itâs not just sound effects. Sure they can mimic everything from footsteps to submersion in water to a baby being born (itâs pretty gross), but did you know they can also sing? Not just carry a tune, Iâm talking really sing. David Collins has one of the purest voices Iâve ever heard, never mind that itâs backed up by Shaneâs hilarious mime antics. Itâs as if their vocal chords operate like radio antennas tuned to any frequency you can imagine. Nothing is off limits.
If youâve been an Umbilical Brothers fence sitter for a while, get off and see this show. If youâre already a fan, you donât need this review. If you loathe them with a passion, go anyway: it was some of the best sexual pleasure Iâve ever had.
KiDSHoW is on at Arts Centre Melbourne, Playhouse until April 13
