Dr. Brown Beturns review | Melbourne International Comedy Festival | Malthouse Theatre

Dr. Brown Beturns is Dr. Brown's return to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in 11 years. Having seen his award winning show back then, there was much excitement and anticipation as I took my seat in the theatre to see what wackiness he has concocted after all this time. Performed entirely in silence - with the exception of a few grunts - Dr. Brown portrays an older man who despite living a simple life, has not lost his cheeky spark.

Audience participation is a staple in this show, and sitting in the back is not going to protect you. You can smell the fear emanating from audience members as Dr. Brown sniffs out who his volunteer will be. What was particular joyful about this night was the slight audience revolt, with those on stage (playfully) not taking any of his shit, making even Dr. Brown not know what was going to happen next and improvise where scenes went. It is always fascinating to watch the power dynamics between performer and audience volunteer unfold.

GODZ review (Melbourne Fringe)

Who knew the ancient Gods of Olympus excelled in acrobatics and circus performance? But the brains and bodies from Head First Acrobats have done their research and with their Melbourne Fringe Festival show GODZ, they present, with one hundred per cent certainty, what actually went down during their reign.

The loose narrative follows the four misbehaving Gods - Cupid, Dionysus, Hercules and Apollo  (Liam Dummer, Jordan Twartz, Callan Harris and Thomas Gorham) - who are getting a bit too rowdy for Zeus' liking, particularly demigod Hercules. While this might not be what the Gods were expecting, for the audience it turns into an evening of untamed and shameful pleasure that even Dionysus would’ve been proud of, especially when a pair of saintly sisters come to visit.

Top 10 Shows of 2021

2021 was certainly a difficult year for the performing arts scene in Melbourne. However if you did manage to get to a show between lockdowns, you would have been witness to a great variety of talent and ideas. While I personally find it extremely difficult to engage with a show virtually, there were also some incredible digital works being made. With this in mind, I managed to see 54 pieces of work this year by independent artists and theatre companies in Melbourne. Below are my top ten shows of those 54 works. If I reviewed it, then a link to the original review is provided.

And as I always like to remind people, sometimes the shows that will stick with you months and years after you've seen them, that will leave an imprint on your heart, body and soul, will not always be the big budget, flashy ones but the ones that are only on for four nights with ten people in the audience. In this current arts climate, remember to support your independent theatre makers and venues - some shows can cost you as little as $20 and can be one of the most original, inspiring and though provoking performances you might see.

Take a risk, see something new, unknown and different in 2022.

Here we go:

The Bride - Melbourne International Comedy Festival preview

Here comes the bride, all dressed in white. Your wedding should be one of the most memorable days of your life but for comedian Nadia Collins, this is most definitely not the case. In her new show for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, , Collins finds herself in a predicament that has her facing a transformation that she never thought possible. Blending physical theatre into an immersive environment, The Bride will have audiences eagerly waiting till the very end if she makes it to the altar.

Collins' The Bride was inspired by Franz Kafka's novel The Metamorphosis, where a salesman wakes up one morning to see he has been turned into an insect. "My show however is about a bride who turns into a cockroach on her hen’s night. I’ve always been interested in The Metamorphosis as a story and the themes it raises. I love the idea that deep down we’re all cockroaches," she says.

Top 10 Shows of 2019

Every year I tell myself no more saying yes to going to all the shows in Melbourne, and this year I managed to cut down from 221 in 2018 to only 199 in 2019, and yes, those numbers do annoy me. I found this year particularly exciting as I saw some amazing work from new and emerging writers and performers who I can never get enough of seeing on stage. I witnessed shows in venues that hold hundreds of people and others that were intimate one-on-one experiences.
As an audience member, I got to plan a friend's wedding in a cafe, discover hidden secrets in Werribee, explore loneliness and isolation in a caravan, watch a five hour break-up take place on stage and suckle on some of mummy's breast milk. 
Like most people, I like to keep track of everything I see so I maintained a list of them all. Below I list the top ten shows I saw in 2019. If I reviewed it, then a link to the original review is provided.

This is also a great reminder that sometimes the most memorable and exciting experiences are not always the big budget, flashy ones but the ones that are only on for four nights at a small theatre venue. Especially in this current arts climate, remember to support your independent theatre makers and venues - some can cost you as little as $20 and can be one of the most original, inspiring and though provoking performances you might see.

Here we go:

Top 10 Shows at the 2019 Melbourne Fringe Festival

So another Melbourne Fringe Festival draws to a close. With over 450 events on this year, I managed to get myself to 61 shows (matching my 2016 record), despite telling myself I would take it easy this year. However, with such a variety of works being performed there was no way I was going to miss any. Covering interactive and immersive work, cabaret, theatre, live art, circus, comedy and dance, there really is something for everyone to enjoy and experience at Melbourne Fringe Festival.

As usual, there were so many shows I wish I could have made it to but my clone is still a little way off from completion so I hope I will have an opportunity to catch those in the future in some way, shape or form. But it's not a Melbourne Fringe Festival - for me anyway - without compiling a list of my top ten shows, so here it is. Links to original reviews can be found next to the show's title. Enjoy!

1. Mime Consultant - review

Every now and again you see a show where you think you know what you’re getting yourself into but end up with something completely unexpected and far better than anything you could have imagined. Patrick Collins’ Mime Consultant is that show. Adding mime to his repertoire of comedian, magician and bisexual, he delivers an unforgettable hour of non-stop laughter as he helps people achieve their mime dreams. 

It’s evident that Collins has worked on each second of this show that then allows him the to be in complete control on the stage. His dissection of his material from all angles ensures that no joke is left unturned and as a result they are a source of constant entertainment. There is not a single flat moment or a punchline that doesn’t land. With a seemingly loose format, you’re constantly surprised with every sketch performed and then amazed with where that leads. Mime Consultant shows a performer at the top of his game who has taken this traditionally silent art form and turned it (and comedy) into a truly unique experiences for audiences.

Mime Consultant - Melbourne Fringe Festival review

Every now and again you see a show where you think you know what you’re getting yourself into but end up with something completely unexpected and far better than anything you could have imagined. Patrick Collins’ Mime Consultant is that show. Adding mime to his repertoire of comedian, magician and bisexual, he delivers an unforgettable hour of non-stop laughter as he helps people achieve their mime dreams.

It’s evident that Collins has worked on each second of this show that then allows him the to be in complete control on the stage. His dissection of his material from all angles ensures that no joke is left unturned and as a result they are a source of constant entertainment. There is not a single flat moment or a punchline that doesn’t land. With a seemingly loose format, you’re constantly surprised with every sketch performed and then amazed with where that leads.

His karaoke act is everything you don’t expect from karaoke and his strawberry pun is a hysterical look at peaking too soon and the decline of his relationship. His attempt at writing a romance novel is pure magic and the set-up to his epic bowling competition fail results in epic hilarity for us.

Circus-Cision - Melbourne Fringe Festival review

Created by Head First Acrobats, Circus-Cision is a circus variety night full of exhilarating acts and cheeky fun. The renowned company has pulled together a number of performers who they regard as a cut above the rest to delight and dazzle audiences, and on the evening I attended, they more than lived up to those expectations.

Dressed in a sparkling eye (and hand)-grabbing costume, Chelsea Angel opens the show with a lively hula-hoop act that sets the bar for the rest of the evening. The dapperly dressed Adam O’Connor-McMahon provides some speedy hat juggling entertainment while AJ Saltalamacchia performs an edge-of-your-seat balancing act on four chairs, which finds a suspenseful (but safe) way to include some audience participation.

O’Connor-McMahon returns with fellow Head First Acrobats ensemble members, Harley Timmerman and Cal Harris who once more throw their hats in the ring, along with the rest of their clothes. The trio perform a comedic ballet that even though has been seen before, there is a distinct Head First Acrobats spin on how it's executed that is not only true to their unique style of circus humour but also gives it some fresh appeal.

Very Very review | Tom Walker | Melbourne International Comedy Festival | ACMI

There are so many ways in which you could describe Tom Walker but the one word that keeps coming to mind is weird. So so weird. But I wouldn’t have it any other way because he really does have the Midas touch when it comes to physical comedy and mime. Performed as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Very Very is another fantastic performance from Walker, nailing the absurd with emotional depth and plenty of laughs.

Walker explains that this show is a mime show. He will not be speaking. Except to tell us it’s a mime show. But he will be speaking during other points. But it is still a mime show, and it is something that Walker delivers a first-rate performance in. The man with a million facial expressions presents clearly defined stories with some very surprising turns. He has a great ability in emphasising the human element, particularly with his winter coat narrative. There are also a number of sketches that last mere seconds, but they are nevertheless just as clever and original in execution and concept.

Nautilus review - Melbourne International Comedy Festival

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.

Nautilus - Melbourne International Comedy Festival preview

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."

All We Cannot Say - A Voiceless Party

In December, The Boon Companions created the immersive experience of The Clinic of Regrets. Set around the world’s first allergy tested, dermatologist-driven laboratory designed to help people process any regrets they may have and then to move on with their life. The event was met with strong, positive responses from attendees and this month, the anonymous art collective return with another event that is sure to get people talking with All We Cannot Say.

Except, there is a catch with this event, as talking is strictly prohibited. That's right, no commenting on how great someone's dress looks, how good the music is or introducing yourself to someone who caught your eye. But it's not all doom and gloom, as The Boon Companions assure me that there will still be liquor, dance, music, performance, art, story and immersive theatre, just without any talking. "We love the idea of having a party and taking away one element of how we communicate with others. Our hope for All We Cannot Say is that people still have a great time - drinking, dancing, interacting - but trust themselves to do so without using their voices. It's going to be a challenge, but we're trying to make it as safe and comfortable experience for attendees as possible."

Rob Caruana: Silent Comedy - Melbourne International Comedy Festival preview

Many would agree that a comedians best tool is his voice, after all, how can you tell a joke or a story without using your voice? But for this year's Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Melbourne based comedian Rob Caruana is taking that away. In his aptly titled show, Silent Comedy, Caruana presents a three-act solo black and white silent cinematic experience that is bound to leave audiences speechless.


"Don’t expect me to talk, but there will be orchestral music playing the entire time that will relate to what’s happening on stage," Caruana explains. "I want people to feel like they are watching a live silent film that’s been blended with stand-up comedy. It’s a show that will cover various topics including how hard it is to write and perform silent comedy."

The Ultimate Vegas Show review

The Ultimate Vegas Show is a night of magic, illusion, circus, songs, dancing and music. It's got all the ingredients for a brilliant and captivating show, yet sadly this experience left me feeling underwhelmed and wanting to head back to 'Melbourne'.

Host/MC, David Cotter did pleasantly well with his Dean Martin impersonation but that's all there was to it. Cotter's Martin did not possess enough dynamic stage presence or charisma to keep the audience strongly entertained and generate excitement about the upcoming acts, although perhaps in a more intimate setting as opposed to the expansive space of The Palms, he might have had more of an effect.

Quiet Achievers review

Performing an improvised comedy show can be more terrifying than performing stand up. You have no idea what's going to happen next from both your fellow cast and the audience. In essence, you have no safety net. You'd think that's risky enough but the Quiet Achiever's have taken it a step further with their Melbourne International Comedy Festival show and taken away a comedian's most powerful tool; their voice.

With nothing but a musical soundtrack of 500 songs played at random, the Quiet Achievers (Andrew Strano and Charlie Sturgeon) set out to captivate us with a mixed bag of silent impro sketches. As with any impro show, there is always a chance scenes will not hit the mark and with this show there are moments when stories do fizzle out with an awkward ending or the story gets convoluted and confusing.