Sean Cullen – Squirrel Comedy

By Colin Flaherty

Chris and Sean have come ashore to regale us with tall tales and true from the sea. They self identify as Nuts (and we LOVE Nuts!) so anything can happen.

You know you’re in safe hands when Chris Locke and Sean Cullen are creating improvised mayhem. Cullen has been performing since the 80s, since rising to fame with Canadian trio Corky & The Juicepigs, and is a legend of the impro scene. Locke is no slouch, keeping up with every non sequitur despite feeling under the weather this evening.

There is more to this performance than on the spot banter. With Locke on bongos and Cullen on guitar, this crazy duo conjure up bespoke musical numbers. Obviously sea shanties feature with tunes about nautical adventures but we also hear gentle serenades directed to certain “ladies” back on land as well as those in the ocean.

It usually takes a while for an audience to get on this wacky pair’s wavelength and on this particular night, the crowd was a little timid. Prompts for questions were met with some baffled silence but the boys ploughed on regardless, going off on odd tangents that produced plenty of weird and wonderful lines. They regularly cracked each other up which was infectious nonetheless.

This is improvised madness at its finest. You may not dig every single thing and a hell of a lot will not make logical sense in the slightest, but you will feast on enough whimsy to sate your thirst and will no doubt, come to love the cut of their jib.

Chris and Seán Are Two Sailors Who Are Nuts is on at Gilded Balloon Patter House until August 26

https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/chris-and-sean-are-two-sailors-who-are-nuts

By Ellyse O’Halloran

Set List is a rollercoaster ride of randomness, hilarity and fun where comedians are given a never before seen set list and are forced to improvise a set in front of your eyes. After seeing the show last year and loving it, I was so eager to go back again and it definitely did not disappoint. Troy Conrad is the mastermind behind Set List with the help of Paul Provenza who MCs the show and does a fantastic job of warming the crowd up and creating a supportive atmosphere and great vibe.

On Saturday the lineup included Celia Pacquola, Gordon Southern, Dave Bloustein, Sam Simmons, Sara Pascoe and Sean Cullen and the topics ranged from ‘Loans for Dogs’ to ‘Non-Sexual Hand Job’. We see the topics at the same time as the comedians and it’s so entertaining watching them squirm and sometimes even be surprised by their own wit and intelligence.

The room is packed with supportive punters, who are asked by Provenza to be the ‘wind beneath the comics’ wings’. No one is there to see the comics fail, they are there to witness in real-time how comics develop content.

One of the greatest things about the show is that you don’t know what to expect and neither do the people on stage. Every performance will be completely different from the last with new comedians and new topics each night. It’s a show I’d encourage you to see multiple times, as different comedians tackle the beast in different ways.

There’s something special about knowing that the entertainment is unique to the night and is for this audience and this audience only. You can try to explain how hilarious and sidesplitting certain gags were, but more often that not you’ll find all the moments during Set List were had-to-be-there moments. It has to be seen to be believed so be prepared to convert the non-believers by taking them with you to enjoy another night of improvised hilarity.

Set List is on at the Victoria Hotel until April 19
http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2014/season/shows/set-list