Wednesday 17 April 2019

Poopie Tum Tums - Melbourne International Comedy Festival review

Poopie Tum Tums is the show that Honor Wolff and Patrick Durnan Silva have been aching to finally flex their acting muscles with. Despite their previous shows, they are more than just "hilarious comedians"; they are actors. In this hour of avant-garde theatre the two stars dazzle with some powerfully gut wrenching scenes that -nah, screw that. Whatever Wolff and Silva may claim they are achieving in Poopie Tum Tums, that's not what you experience with The Very Good Looking Initiative. If you think you'd seen it all with CULL and Let's Get Practical! Live then strap yourself in, because these wacky oddballs are on fire again and ready to unleash their twisted and shameless sense of humour on their audience.

One of the great things about watching Wolff and Silva is observing how well they support each other and are always focused on making each other look good before themselves. It results in stronger sketches and surprises for both the audience and themselves. There's a real joy in seeing them break from character or try to stifle the laughter that the other one has brought on from what they say or do. It's impossible to not have as much fun as we do when the performers are having just as much fun on stage.

Their 1960s schoolgirls is absolutely brilliant and followed by a 1960s schoolboys sketch that leads to a scene that while you love watching it, you really wish you could unsee it, but you're also glad you still got to see it. The unhinged hysterics continue with Wolff's Gilette razor scene that will leave everyone embracing their body hair, and then there's a script reading that has us seeing Silva in a completely different way.

The Very Good Looking Initiative is constantly looking at challenging conventions around theatre and comedy. What is funny? What can we laugh at? What should we laugh at? There are plenty of ways Poopie Tum Tums could have become a shitshow but Wolff and Silva are so tuned into their craft and very aware of how far - and when - to push the envelope that we end up with an hour of the most ridiculous and outrageous comedy you are bound to see. 

Click here for my interview with Patrick and Honor.

SHOW DETAILS

Venue: The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Place, Melbourne
Season: Until 21 April, 10pm
Length: 60 minutes 
Tickets: $34 Full | $30 Conc | $27 Tightarse Tuesday
Bookings: MICF website

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