Best House Party Ever review | Melbourne International Comedy Festival | The Motley Wherehaus

In 2008, Melbourne ended up in the global spotlight when 16-year-old Corey Worthington threw a house party that got wildly out of hand. His parents were away, and after posting an open invite on MySpace, over 500 people showed up to his suburban home. Total madness.
 
Now, he might want to keep an eye out, because two Nunawading locals are ready to make him old(er) news. In Best House Party Ever, best mates Big Mike and DJ JayJay, somewhere in their 30s and 40s, see an empty house as an opportunity. The moment DJ JayJay’s mum heads out, it’s game on. There’s booming music, questionable life choices, and the kind of party energy that escalates rapidly.

Together, they’re known as The Beat Boyz, the drag king, clown-fuelled alter egos of Roxie Halley and Michele Owen, performers who lean hard into absurdity, physical comedy, and larger-than-life character work. Through Big Mike and DJ JayJay, they dial everything up, blokey bravado, chaotic vibes, and enough delusion to make it all hilariously unhinged. They commit fully to the bit, letting the characters spiral, and drag the audience along for the ride. A highlight is their lip-syncing video of the interview between Worthington and A Current Affair shortly after his party, where he refused to take off his 'famous' sunglasses.

The audience interactions is another strength of these two performers, and given the criminally small crowd the night I attended, they definitely had their work cut out for them. Still, they handled it brilliantly. From pass the parcel to drinking games and even a spot of dancing, they pull us in, pushing the frenzy even further, keeping the unruly buzz alive the whole way.
 
What really stands out with this show is the lack of homoerotic tension between them. Halley and Owen are very much playing heterosexual men who are best friends, comfortable in themselves and with each other, and while there’s plenty of talk about “hot chicks,” it never becomes their entire personality. There’s more going on underneath the surface. Big Mike is hung up on the girl who broke his heart eight years ago, giving him a slightly softer edge, while DJ JayJay is far more focused on chasing his dream of breaking into the hip hop scene than chasing women. It adds an unexpected depth to what could have easily stayed one-note.
 
Best House Party Ever by The Beat Boyz may be built on chaos, but it’s chaos with purpose. Beneath the games, macho nonsense, and building absurdity, Halley and Owen are a duo that know exactly what they’re doing, balancing high-energy silliness with a good dose of character detail to keep it grounded. It’s messy, loud, and unapologetically ridiculous, but that’s the point. By the end, you’re not thinking about how wild the party gets, you’re just glad you were invited.

SHOW DETAILS

Venue: The Motley Wherehaus, 432 Queen St, Melbourne
Season: until 5 April | 9:30pm

Duration: 50 minutes
Tickets: $30 - $34 Full | $29 Conc | $27 Tightarse Tuesday

Bookings: Melbourne International Comedy Festival