This year's Melbourne International Comedy Festival has hosted a variety of shows that has fortunately included a large number being performed where it hurt too much to laugh. Different Party is no exception, being a perfect example of sketch, physical comedy, storytelling and mime all coming together for a hilarious hour of comedy you never want to end.
Dennis Chang and Grareth Krubb are Consultation Specialists at Ruck's Leather Interiors and we are privy to observe a regular day at the office for the two businessmen. However, when these two characters are played by Barnie Duncan (Weekend At Barnie's) and Trygve Wakenshaw (Nautilus), you know that a regular day for them is going to be extremely entertaining one for us.
Of all the silent comedies I've seen, none have spoken to me more than
Trygve Wakenshaw's Nautilus. The New Zealand born, London based comedian
is back at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival with his uproarious one-man
multiple-characters silent comedy show that is bound to amuse and delight
audiences.
He appears on stage in a grey suit and shirt with bright red socks that
immediately stand out. This fashion oddity is the perfect way to describe
Wakenshaw and his show as he starts breaking out in some seriously over the top
but wicked dance moves to Justice's "D.A.N.C.E". Once the music cuts,
he instantly takes the form of his first character, which happens to be a
chicken. But this isn't your standard just-for-laughs chicken; this is a
chicken with a defined personality and purpose seeking to answer one of life's
most elusive mysteries.
I first came across Trygve Wakenshaw by chance when I randomly bought a ticket to his show Kraken, and I was amazed by his skill in storytelling, comedy and his physicality. Fortunately, Wakenshaw is back at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival with his new show, Nautilus, which will once again showcase his impressive clowning and miming ability.
I'm curious as to the ocean inspired names for his shows: Squidboy (which is quite obvious), Kraken (a legendary squid-like sea creature that is said to live off the coasts of Norway) and now Nautilus (a mollusk). However, it's more than an ocean theme running through these shows as Wakenshaw informs me, which also ends up being an apt description of himself. "It's not just ocean themed, but cephalopod themed," he explains. "Cephalopoda are squids, octopus, nautilus and cuttlefish. They are clever strange mysterious creatures. I was
interested in them while I was making my first show Squidboy, after that
it was just running with the theme."
