Seminal - Melbourne International Comedy Festival review

Rhys Nicholson want to take control over his life. In his new stand-up show, Seminal, Nicholson goes through events and situations that have - in some way or another - shaped who he is, while also looking at how to lead the life he wants. With Nicholson's trademark acerbic wit and ability to speak at a million miles an hour, Seminal is an engaging and captivating piece of stand-up with plenty to say.

While he's confident on stage as Rhys Nicholson the comedian, Nicholson allows the audience to see the anxious person behind the comedian so that we can better understand where he is coming from. His delivery is crisp and is constantly on the ball, and despite referring to his off-the-cuff remarks as the worst improvising ever, the reaction by the audience in the room would have you believe otherwise.

I Love You Special Guest in Brackets. One Night Only - Melbourne International Comedy Festival review

In I Love You Special Guest in Brackets. One Night Only, Dave Hynes wants to explore love and get people excited about love. At a time where everyone is constantly busy and glued to the screens of their electronic devices, Hynes looks at reigniting a connection between people through storytelling and pineapples. 

Wearing a white disposable coverall with a makeshift pineapple head made from a yellow wastebasket and leaves, Hynes shares his thoughts on love and the importance of having and sharing love. His passion on this is clearly genuine, especially in his reactions to audience members naming their favourite fruit. It is a reminder to always be appreciative of the smaller things rather than always looking for the big grand moments.

Now - Melbourne International Comedy Festival review

Scottish comedian Daniel Sloss claims his 2017 Melbourne International Comedy Festival show So? was responsible for breaking up relationships left right and centre. This year, he returns to Melbourne with his new show Now, where instead of dissecting audiences' relationships, he has turned his attention inwards in an attempt to determine whether he is a sociopath and if he is, is it such a terrible thing? 

Sloss has a knack of raising contentious issues but remaining in control of the conversation and not getting carried away by the 'thrill' or the risk of what he is talking about. There is a purpose to everything he raises; it is not being said simply to shock, but to entertain and to inform us.

Down The Rabbit Hole - Melbourne International Comedy Festival review

She won the award for outstanding emerging performer at the 2017 New Zealand International Comedy Festival for her show Down The Rabbit Hole, and now Angella Dravid has come to Melbourne to share her unique story of how she got married to a man 30 years older than her and then ended up in prison with a criminal conviction. 

Dravid's life is incredible fodder for a comedian and you can easily picture them becoming very animated with the audience and really playing up the experience, however Dravid has decided to go with a completely opposite approach. Her delivery for the entire show is completely deadpan, and in some ways this works in her favour as it allows the audience to focus on the story and to imagine the situation as it is being described. Some clarity and further details on the events leading up to her arrest are needed though, as the way it is currently described leaves some ambiguity as to what actually occurred.

Franny Pack - Melbourne International Comedy Festival review

Walking into Fran Middleton's comedy show you don't really know what to expect. Walking out of Fran Middleton's comedy show, you don't really know what you've just experienced. But whatever it is, it works perfectly. The fact that Middleton can draw the audience into her bizarre world simply by reclining on a black box wearing white shorts with huge coffee stains on the crotch is a testament to her skill as a performer, comedian and improviser.

Franny Pack is deeply rooted in absurdism and if absurdism could be a person, it would be this character that Middelton has created. To specifically mention what happens in the show would ruin the delights that are to be uncovered, but Middleton has a knack for taking one idea or object, such as a pair of coffee stained shorts, and unpacking it in every conceivable way to get maximum usage and laughs out of it, before putting it away. Her facial expressions and physicality remain expressive throughout the show and seeing her react to unexpected audience interactions is a joy.

Double Denim Adventure Show - Melbourne International Comedy Festival review

It's anchors aweigh for the holiday of your life, where you can expect to unwind in the bananarama ding-dong lounge sipping mojitos to your hearts content. At least that's what is promised in Michelle Brasier and Laura Frew's Double Denim Adventure Show, but with these two in charge, it's not long before this cruise turns into a sinking ship and we are left to fend for ourselves in the jungle. 

As 'themselves', the two hit all the right notes with regards to both the comedy and their singing. The musical numbers - along with their choreography - are fun and energetic and allow for their sense of humour to clearly come through. It is evident how well these two know each other and they use this to their advantage in their interactions, always focused on making the other look good to elicit maximum laughs from the audience. Brasier and Frew are so finely tuned in to each other that they probably know what the other is thinking before they've even thought it.

Seminal - Melbourne International Comedy Festival preview

Already a seasoned regular at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Rhys Nicholson returns to the festival with new show, Seminal. While we can safely assume the show will be full of Nicholson's trademark wit and observations of the world around him, his show description gives nothing on the content or theme, simply requesting that you "please come to my show".

The word seminal however has two meanings that could indicate what path Nicholson's show will take. Seminal means "strongly influencing later developments" and also "relating to or denoting semen" - two very different paths. "Look let’s be honest, if you’re aware of my work, I think you know which one it is," Nicholson tells me. "I never know what to say to 'what can we expect?' Expect me to be on stage. Expect about 56 minutes of jokes. Don’t expect live animals. All the animals in the show are dead."

Show Pony - Melbourne International Comedy Festival preview

The ball of energy that is Nath Valvo is back for another new show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Show Pony will be a deep dive into the mysteries of the universe and asking highly thought provoking questions like should Nath donate sperm and how exactly do you pronounce acai berries. However, don't despair as Valvo assures me this will all be done with his usual razor sharp humour and unique observations about the world.

"As my other shows, this will just be me banging on about as many things as I possibly can in 55 minutes. I get bored with the one topic for too long and I just assume my audience is the same," Valvo says. "I have a pretty big story to tell this year but the less people know about that the better. OMG hashtag no spoilers, guys!!"

Down The Rabbit Hole - Melbourne International Comedy Festival preview

Everyone loves a good love story, which is exactly what Angella Dravid's show, Down the Rabbit Hole is based on. Dravid recalls a turbulent relationship she had beginning from when she was 16 years old and explores how love can make you go a little bit crazy and even end up in prison. Coming all the way from New Zealand, Dravid's show is bound to leave an impression on audiences during the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

After reading a few glowing reviews for the show - which I urge you to not do and just go along for the ride - I ask Dravid if she can tell me what her show is about without giving too much away. Her summation is one that sounds absolutely intriguing: "I don't know how to summarise it. It's a love story gone awry? It's a story that gets more and more horrifying."

Go To Hell! review - Melbourne International Comedy Festival

No one goes to a comedy show expecting to shit themselves, but in Go To Hell!, the team from Watson intend to make us do just that. Adam McKenzie, Liam Ryan and Tegan Higginbotham are hosting a seminar on how to kill your fears and live a happy and peaceful life through an ingenious two-step program.

The first step is to make everyone shit themselves from being scared, and so begins a fear buffet from short and terrifying sketches, one involving McKenzie and Ryan is particularly horrific (you'll know it when you see it), and speaking directly to the audience as they share seemingly personal stories and encounters they've had. The extent as to how factual these supernatural anecdotes are is questionable, however if you choose to allow yourself to be swept away by the show, they are incredibly eerie and spooky, especially Higginbotham's recollection of an incident that happened during a Watson show at the Old Melbourne Gaol a few years ago.

Go To Hell! - Melbourne International Comedy Festival preview

In the 2015 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Watson asked us Who's Afraid of The Dark? This festival, well frankly they don't really care, as they premiere their brand new show Go To Hell! While this is another blend of horror and comedy, what sets this show apart and creates further interest is that Watson will be delving deep into fear itself and have audiences facing their own nightmares in an evening of scary storytelling and laughs. The trio that make up Watson, Adam McKenzie, Tegan Higginbotham and Liam Ryan, are also the recipients of the prestigious Moosehead Award this year, which provides grants for Australian comedians wishing to perform new and unique works, and by its description, Go To Hell! will definitely be leaving its mark on audiences.

"There are two things you can expect, when you come to see Go To Hell!" McKenzie tells me. "The first one is comedy and the second one is that you will literally shit yourself with horror. We wanted the show to be funny and terrifying. This time round we are at the Malthouse Theatre and there's going to be a good balance of lots of scares and lots of laughs."

My top ten shows at the 2014 Melbourne Fringe Festival

So another Melbourne Fringe festival comes to an end, and having watched 27 shows, I present to you my TOP 10!
If I reviewed the show on an official basis, the link to the review is attached.

1. FINUCANE & SMITH'S GLOBAL SMASH CLUB

So technically this was a free event at the Fringe Club BUT every single performance was amazing and I was thrilled to be able to see another Finucane and Smith show. I feel this shows encapsulates what Fringe should be all about, daring, bold, affecting, confronting and extremely entertaining.

Some acts I had seen before but with a show like this, once is never enough - still waiting to see a repeat of Finucane's act to U2's "With or Without You"- even after a year,  I still remember it so vividly. Highlight from this evening would have to be Anna Lumb's gimp hip-hop rap in response to what art is. 

Melbourne Fringe Festival Top 10 Shows

So another Melbourne Fringe festival comes to an end and so I present to you my TOP 10!
If I reviewed the show on an official basis, the link to the review is attached.

1. MKA: KIDS KILLING KIDS

Four young theatre makers take an adaptation of Battle Royale (an amazing Japanese movie) and create it for a Philippino audience. The response was something they never expected and here they tell us their story.

I really enjoyed this: it provoked some intelligent conversation about responsible theatre making and what in fact those responsibilities are. They are not arrogant to tell you the answers, but succeed in getting you talking about it.

This was very much a love it or hate it show as I know people who felt they were taking advantage of what had happened and trying to capitalise on it and had not really expressed any regret over what had happened. I personally, don't believe they need to.

Here is a clip I found on YouTube of "Battalia Royale"...

REVIEW

Melbourne Comedy Festival Top 10 shows

So, after having seen a whopping 6% of what's on offer I give you my top ten shows of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival!
If I also reviewed the show on an official basis, the link to the review is attached.


1. SLUTMONSTER & FRIENDS

My mind was blown and then got super dirty after watching this show. It was relentless in its laughs and full of so much inappropriate humour which I absolutely adore. I could not fault this show and so glad I finally got to see it. Really hoping for a little Slutmonster cuddly toy to come out soon - look at the costume!
REVIEW


2. SUITCASES, BAGGAGE & OTHER SYNONYMS

I have a strong preference for theatre rather than stand up so naturally I really enjoyed this musical comedy about five housemates trying to decide where to go on holiday. Great score and a very snappy and sharp script which really packed in the laughs. And you know that any show that starts off with a bang is going to be good.

REVIEW


3. HOPE IS THE SADDEST

Another theatre number revolving around chance encounters and Dolly Parton. Extremely well written with some very thought out characters. There is not a single word that is wasted in this script. Great ways of using the small stage and a good combination of varying methods of telling the story are incorporated.

REVIEW


4. ANNE EDMONDS in "THE QUARTER CABBAGE"

Four strangers come to the same grocer to buy a quarter cabbage. They each give a 15 minute monologue to an insight into their lives. Edmonds portrays them with such honesty, realness and hilarity there were tears rolling down my face at various points. Would love to see some more of John Watts and Rebecca again.

REVIEW

5. SIMON ABRAHAMS & LACHLAN MaCLEOD in "SATURN RETURNS"

This cabaret show look at the fears and worries we have about turning 30. Having just turned 30, I could absolutely agree with all the issues these two talented singer/songwriters/performers covered. Some poignant moments scattered throughout and Abrahams and MaCleod would be one of the strongest comedy duo I have seen in a long time.
REVIEW

6. APARTMENTOCALYPSE!

It's the end of the world and three housemates are trying to figure out what happens next. Great mixture of the mundane within the backdrop of armageddon. It's clear they have been working on this for a while and it pays off with some very clever humour and dialogue. 

REVIEW



7. CIRCUS HORRIFICUS

Sideshow freak circus acts meet comedy here. Although there are a few moments that the "slapstick" does waver and it's not so much traditional laughter as more gasps and deep breaths with some of the acts these two performers do, it was still a highly enjoyable show that had you feeling sympathy pain in places you didn't know you could.

REVIEW




8. THOMAS GREEN in "SIGN OF THE TIMES"

Although officially not part of the festival, Green performed a few intimate stand up sets in Richmond and I was very impressed by him. Probably one of the newest stand up comedians I have seen in a while that I have enjoyed. Really charming and laid back with interesting insights and anecdotal stories. Definitely someone to look out for in next year's comedy festival.

REVIEW


9. CHOIR GIRL

Sarah Collins is great as Susan, a young woman obsessed with being in choirs and the means she goes through to get accepted. Collins has some great storytelling techniques and her ability to command a crowd of over 250 people is a skill that not many performers have. Some great musical moments too, with Britney Spears being quite memorable. Oh, and there is a real life 13 person choir in the show too.
REVIEW

10. IN THE PARLOUR with TILLY & FLORA

Set in 1851 in a small English town of Cottesloe, this is improvised comedy at its best. And also the only improvised theatre-show at the Festival.  Sisters, Tilly and Flora are a delight to watch on stage with their daily adventures whilst also trying to keep up appearances. My regret is not being able to see more of this show as each one was completely different.


Well there you have it. Hope you managed to catch some of these shows as sometimes the more popular shows are not always going to be the best. If you agree, disagree or just have an urge to comment on my choices then let me know!

Till next Comedy Festival!