Dr. Professor Neal Portenza
3 April 2015
Melbourne Town Hall, Backstage Room
to 19 April
comedyfestival.com.au
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| Dr Professor Neal Portenza |
I love Dr Professor Neal Portenza.
Not in a stalky way or anything like that.
But then who can resist a man whose badly-applied blush is the same 1950s-lipstick-red as his beret?
And I love Maria and Vanessa – and even Stavros.
Joshua Ladgrove does character comedy. He does a way-cool Jesus, but it's Dr Professor Neal Portenza who deserves his own chocolate festival.
It's hard to describe a Dr Professor Neal show, and description could scare people away.
It is likely you will be scared in a Dr Professor Neal show, or at least feel a bit nervy – so get a free hug at the beginning. But remember how brilliant it feels when you've confronted your fears, like your fears about performers leaving the stage. And ask the FOH staff for your fashion bracelet because, even though it's beautiful, you will want it to throw it away at some stage.
While the old school stand-ups are dribbling out the same jokes we've heard for ever, Dr Professor Neal and co are part of a generation of performers who are embracing everything about clowning and turning it into something that's contemporary and exciting and completely their own.
One star: one fucking exploding supernova star.
There's a version of this on aussietheatre.com.au.
