Chaddyslap! review | Melbourne Fringe Festival | Trades Hall

I will admit, I’ve only ever been to Chadstone once. I’m not one for department stores, so I’m not sure how I would cope being trapped inside The Fashion Capital, but that's what a group of shoppers encounter in the sketch comedy Chaddyslap! Performed as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival, the show takes shopping culture and flips it on its head, exposing the hidden underbelly of consumerism and how we are pawns in a much bigger game.

Unfortunately much of the humour here doesn’t land. Punchlines don’t pack enough punch, characters aren’t as exaggerated and animated as they should be in this style of comedy, and sketches either end abruptly or drag on for too long. The conversation between the Supre, Dangerfield, EB Games, Rebel Sport and Bakers Delight stores could have been a wonderful scene full of narrative and clever humour but instead is relegated to obvious gags.

Circus Oz: But Wait...There's More review

Circus Oz returns to Melbourne with But Wait...There's More, fusing circus acts with consumerism and "infobesity"; the idea that everything is being commodified and the world is moving at faster speeds than before. 

The opening act of Lilikoi Kaos and her hoops was amazing. With hoop acts becoming a dime-a-dozen in recent circus productions, Kaos brought so much energy and fun to the routine it was impossible not to get swept up by the momentum. The program definitely does not lie when it compares her as a "mixture of Jessica Rabbit, Lucille Ball and Tank Girl". Kaos has a unique talent that is great to watch on stage. 

Similarly the enchanting balletic unicycle act by Kyle Raftery and April Dawson was mesmerising and the accompanying music created an almost whimsical environment. In fact, all the music, led by Ben Hendry and Ania Reynolds, was the one superbly consistent factor throughout the show. Each act's musical soundtrack was perfectly suited to build the mood and the suspense and change the tone as needed.