R.O.F.L.S.H.A.L.B.O.W.C.O. (roll on the floor laughing so hard a little bit of wee comes out)
The Listies
7 April 2019
Coopers Malthouse – Beckett Theatre
to 21 April
comedyfestival.com.au
www.thelisties.com
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| The Listies |
There's always someone in a comedy show who doesn't get it – except at The Listies.
R.O.F.L.S.H.A.L.B.O.W.C.O. (pronounced "roflshalbowco") is the happiest show of the festival. It's impossible not to make silly faces from laughing so much. The only way you can't laugh is if you don't have a face.
This festival, Rich thinks it's time for beddy byes but Matt isn't tired. Lullabies with a punk twist, puns and fairy tales don't help – not even Jack and the Beans Talk! (Warning: fart jokes.) Luckily there's an audience of willing helpers eager to join in with songs and list making.
Kids know The Listies are the absolute best, but there are also lots of the groan ups at their shows who have found (or made) kids just so they can be part of the mayhem*. Richard Higgins and Matt Kelly are the rock stars of kids theatre because they know that kids are smarter than most adults and that they deserve the respect of never seeing anything naff or boring. Their jokes are always up-to-date, they can improvise on the most surprising audience suggestion, and they look like they have as much fun as their audiences do.
The only downside of seeing The Listies is that kids may be disappointed the next time they go to the theatre because it isn't always this awesomely excellent.
And they are so gosh-giddy lovely that they stay around after the show for photos and to sign their books, CDs and posters.
Being the rock stars of kids theatre, they are nearly sold out. Book now because missing The Listies isn't worth the regret.
* A highlight for me was seeing a girl on stage playing a crab. She doesn't remember being at one of the first ever Listies gigs when she was still in her mum.
