What I loved in 2016, The best of Melbourne theatre

Tenth list and still no trophy, cheque or print-at-home certificate for the winners.

I sit on judging panels that have very specific criteria, but the criteria for this list remains simple: What did I love the most? And I've now added: Would I (did I) see it again?

The most popular show on from the What Melbourne Loved series was Backstage in Biscuitland. Tourettes Hero, we'd love you to visit us again.

Outstanding Artists 2016

WRITING

The Listies: Prince of Skidmark. Photo by Prudence Upton

Declan Greene and The Listies for Hamlet: Prince of Skidmark, Sydney Theatre Company
(Melbourne season please.)

Special mentions

David Finnigan for Kill Climate Deniers at Melbourne Fringe and the script

Sammy J for Hero Complex at Melbourne International Comedy Festival

DESIGN

Blaque Showgirls. Photo by Pia Johnson

Andrew Bailey (set) for Lungs at MTC

Paul Jackson (lighting) for Picnic at Hanging Rock at Malthouse

Eugyeene Teh (set and costume) for Blaque Showgirls at Malthouse

Special mentions

The Making Space team (Bronwyn Pringle, Melanie Liertz, Pippa Bainbridge,
Jack Beeby, Chris Molyneux and Rachel Edward )(whole space) for Beneath and Beyond at La Mama

Kate Davis (design) and Emma Valente (lighting) for Cain and Abel by The Rabble at The Substation


PERFORMANCE

Wit. Photo by Pia Johnson

Jane Montomery Griffiths in Wit by The Artisan Collective in conjunction with fortyfivedownstairs

Special mentions

Awakening. Photo by Nura Sheidaee

The cast of Awakening by MUST: Nicola Dupree, Samantha Hafey-Bagg, Eamonn Johnson, James Malcher, Sam Porter and Imogen Walsh.

The cast of Lilith, the Jungle Girl by Sisters Grimm at MTC: Ash Flanders, Candy Bowers, Genevieve Giuffre.


DIRECTION

Straight White Men.  Photo by Jeff Busby

Sarah Giles for Straight White Men at MTC and Blaque Showgirls at Malthouse

Special mentions

Daniel Lammin for Awakening by MUST

Daniel Clarke for Rust and Bone at La Mama


BEST FESTIVAL

FOLA: the Festival of Live Art

including Arts House ticket, Hotel Obsucura, and Portraits in Motion at Theatre Works.


EVERYTHING THEY DO ROCKS

Jason Lehane and Yvonne Virsik

MUST: Monash University Student Theatre

Every time I see a MUST production, I'm thrilled that I went. Yvonne Virsik (Artistic Director) and Jason Lehane (Technical Manager) help students to create the kind of theatre that blows me away every time. It's work made with an intelligence and a freedom that doesn't restrict ideas and regularly creates work so original and unique that I wonder why it hasn't been done before.

I only saw three shows this year – Noises Off, Slaughterhouse Five and Awakening. Each explored form and told story in ways that made the exploration of form invisible.

If you're one of those people who I tell to see shows, you know that MUST comes up a lot. So, what about making 2017 the year that you get out to Clayton? (It's really not that far.)

And so many artists and creators who are making their mark on Melbourne (a few have contributed moments) are from Monash and got their start at MUST.  Fleur Kilpatrick, Sarah Walker, Daniel Lammin, Mark Wilson, Mama Alto, Jack Beeby, Sarah Collins, Danny Delahunty, James Jackson, Kevin Turner, Anna Nalpantidis, Elizabeth Brennan, Tom Halls, Trelawney Edgar, Jake Stewart, Mark Crees, Bek Berger, Piper Huynh, Hayley Toth, Andrew Westle, Tom Middleditch. (I'm going to add to this list as more names are given to me.)

Slaughterhouse Five

Outstanding Productions 2016

CABARET

Leah Shelton in Terror Australis

Terror Australis by Leah Shelton (Polytoxic) at Melbourne Fringe

Special mentions

Mother's Ruin. Maeve Marsden & Libby Wood

Mothers Ruin: A Cabaret about Gin by Maeve Marsden and Libby Wood at the Butterfly Club

Briefs by The Briefs Factory at Arts Centre Melbourne

Princesstuous by Isabella Valette at the Butterfly Club, Melbourne International Comedy Festival


COMMERCIAL SHOW

Matilda, Royal Shakespeare Company and all the producers listed here


MUSICAL

Matilda, Royal Shakespeare Company and all the producers listed here


COMEDY

Dave and Zoe Coombs Marr. Trigger Warning

Trigger Warning by Zoe Coombs Marr at Melbourne International Comedy Festival

Special mentions

Rama Nichols. Mary Weather's Monsters

Mary Weather's Monsters by Rama Nichols at Melbourne International Comedy Festival

Marco. Polo. by Laura Davis at Melbourne International Comedy Festival (and Melbourne Fringe)

CIRCUS

Notorious Strumpet and Dangerous Girl by Jess Love at Melbourne Fringe


OPERA

Il Signor Bruschino. Lyric Opera

Il Signor Bruschino by Lyric Opera

LIVE ART

Small Time Criminals players

Small Time Criminals by Pop up Playground

There's still time to play this live action game that closes (after a year) in February. It was so much fun. But it's not easy.

Listen to my co-robbers Richard and Fleur on RRR discussing our perfectly brilliant night. It starts at 2.34. (Fleur, I was giggling cos I was having so much fun! And because I was really shit at turning off my torch and had to hide my light from the terrifying guard, who never found me hiding under the table.)

Between Two Lines by Anna Nalpantidis with Elizabeth Brennan at Melbourne Fringe 


BEST OF THE BEST

Awakening by MUST

Every Brilliant Thing

Every Brilliant Thing by Paines Plough and Pentabus at Malthouse

Matilda, Royal Shakespeare Company and all the producers listed here

Trigger Warning by Zoe Coombs Marr at MICF


MY FAVOURITE SHOW OF 2016

Backstage in Biscuit Land. Jess Mabel Jones and Jessica Thom. . Photo by Jonathan Birch

Backstage in Biscuitland by Tourettes Hero at Melbourne Festival

hedgehog

2015

2014
2013

2012

2011 

2010 

2009 

2008 

2007 

What Melbourne loved in 2016, part 8

Everyone today loved Maltilda. Welcome Richard Watts, Sara Collins and Jason Whittaker.

But before you read. If you want to be part of this series (and your friends and fans want to read what you think), you have to send your answers to me.


Richard Watts
Performing Arts Editor, Arts Hub; Smarts Arts presenter; legend

Richard Watts. Photo by Nicola Peniguel

RW's favourite moments in Melbourne theatre in 2016: I’ve seen some brilliant, beautiful, challenging and moving life performances this year, in Sydney, Perth, Adelaide and the Northern Rivers region of NSW, as well as in a diversity of Melbourne venues.

Works such as Zoe Coombs Marr’s Trigger Warning and Sammy J’s Hero Complex made me roar with laughter even I as marvelled at the skilled writing on display. The Artisan Collective’s Wit at fortyfivedownstairs and MUST’s Awakening at Trades Hall made me sob. Backstage in Biscuit Land and Matilda the musical made me cheer. Dancenorth’s IF _ WAS _ and Le Patin Libre’s Vertical Influences allowed me revel in the splendour and the beauty of the human body moving through space.

But if there’s one moment that typified everything I love about the performing arts, it was the Lotus play readings at the National Play Festival back in July. Extracts from four new plays by Asian Australian playwrights; four fresh new perspectives; four very different takes on storytelling that didn’t rely on the familiar tropes and clichés of Australian mainstage drama.

Siti Rubiyah by Katrina Irawati Graham, Squint Witch by Shari Indriani, My Father Who Slept in A Zoo by Ngoc Phan and Entomology by Natesha Somasundaram – each reading made me hopeful for the future and hungry for more.

What RW is looking forward to in 2017: The further decolonisation of our theatres and performances spaces, more plays and stories by First Nations and culturally diverse artists, more amazing work by female-identifying playwrights and directors, and more stimulating conversations with friends, peers and colleagues in the foyers of Melbourne’s theatres.

SM: Every moment with Richard is pretty damn good. One of my favourites was seeing Sammy J's Hero Complex with him. We braved front row centre because we knew we were in safe hands, but had no idea just how great this show was going to be. Being able to share the love you have for a show with someone is what live theatre is all about. Laughing by yourself on the couch is never as good.

Richard is a tireless advocate for independent art and artists in Melbourne, he sees more theatre than most of us, and he listens to music, reads books, and goes to films and art exhibitions. He loves theatre and art with the kind of unconditional passion that we wish from our lovers. Every time I see Richard chair a discussion or I listen to a radio interview, I learn more about how to be a journalist. He researches, he asks excellent questions and knows when to change tack during an interview.

I'm sure that indie artists in Melbourne know how lucky they are to have Richard (I hear some very lovely things being said), so let's all make sure we make sure he knows how respected, appreciated and loved he is.

Sarah Collins

playwright, photographer

Sarah Collins

SC's favourite moment in Melbourne theatre in 2016: It's been a hard old year. Where previously I felt "the less money and resources we have the more punk we will be!",  I'm really struggling to get past the cuts, the closures and the lack of opportunity in theatre in 2016. (I'm writing a comedy about it so please get in touch with me if you want to laugh your way through this too. I'm sick of feeling despondent). 

The best performance I saw this year was Lyall Brooks in A Prudent Man. He. Did. Not. Skip. A. Beat. It was a huge treat to see such a polished performance at the wonderful Melbourne Fringe and he made the script sing and every word count. Matilda was fantastic. Tim Minchin (that writing!) and James Millar were the highlights for me. James Millar could honestly play that role on Broadway; he was born for it. Unfortunately due to my niece just missing out on that role I was a bit pissed with our Matilda. I'm sure under any other circumstances I would have found her a true delight. 

Finally my favourite moment that happened IN a theatre in 2016 was a moment told by a friend who has been teaching drama at an all boys private school in Brisbane for ten years. Irrespective of the fact that support for the arts is being ripped from here there and everywhere, theatrical expression can never be killed. In the context of an all boys school this was breathtaking. In the context of why we all gravitated to theatre in the first place it's a great reminder.

SM: It's been a year without a new show from Sarah – toddler wrangling is more time consuming than making art –, so I've had to be happy with Facebooks posts that make me know why social media was invented. I think my favourite was vomiting on the way to Ikea and the Christmas photo.

Jason Whittaker
journalist, critic

JW's favourite moments in Melbourne theatre in 2016: What made me feel the most? The cry-o-metre registered one Melbourne show in 2016: The Events, the singular and devastating Edinburgh Festival choir-backed play brought to Malthouse Theatre via Belvoir Street in Sydney. Catherine McClements broke me; it must be a career-best performance and she’s given plenty of them.

Malthouse had a strong year under an artistic director growing in confidence. Matthew Lutton’s Edward II and, particularly, Picnic At Hanging Rock were urgent pieces of auteur theatre. And I have enormous affection for The Glass Menagerie production bought in from Belvoir, even though the Malthouse space sucked out intimacy. Melbourne Theatre Company’s best was probably Disgraced, though Jasper Jones was a terrific adaptation and I liked Kip Williams’s Miss Julie more than most. And don’t forget The Secret River, STC’s simply yet stunningly staged adaptation that got to us in March. It wasn’t new in 2016, but it’s probably the best Australian work we saw this year.

What made me happiest in the theatre in 2016? Matilda  is the best commercial musical to come to Australia in decades. Little Shop of Horrors via the Hayes Theatre in Sydney was so smart and so much fun. The foul-mouthed, sweet-singing Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour were a Melbourne Festival highlight.

But the absolute best piece of theatre in this city in 2016? I’d give it to Robert Lepage’s masterful, magical bio-monologue 887. A spell of wide-eyed loveliness, as I gushed on Twitter afterwards. A genius theatremaker wringing everything out of himself and the form.

What JW is looking forward to in 2017: Red Stitch has secured some super-hyped US and UK plays next year: Rules For Living, The Realistic Joneses, Incognito and The Moors. I’m excited by all of them. I think the Malthouse program looks as strong as this year’s. I’ll be interested to see what MTC does with Annie Baker’s John, which I had mixed feelings about in New York and will really test subscribers, and of course what Simon Phillips does with Macbeth. And trust me: The Book Of Mormon is as good as everyone says it is.

SM: Jason and I know each other and read each other, but I don't think we've met. I'll fix that in 2017. What I love about his reviews is that he shares his gut feelings towards a show and I'm either "What he said!" or "Did he see a different show?" – no in between. And that's what I love about reading other criticism: I want an extreme reaction; reading something meh is as meh as doing something meh.

part 1
part 2
part 3
part 4
part 5
part 6
part 7
2014
2013
2012

MICF: Eric, Sammy J & Randy, and Ben

MICF
the last days

Eric
Vicious Fish & La Mama
comedyfestival.com.au

Difficult First Album Tour
Sammy J and Randy
Laughing Stock
comedyfestival.com.au

Ben McKenzie is Uncool 
Shaloin Punk
comedyfestival.com.au

Was it only 26 days?

Eric's back!

Last seen in 2009, Eric's a one-person sketch show. He's not a character but a blank page everyman – a white, 40-something, straight, suit-wearing, aging-well everyguy – who performs 27 sketches about such men.

Eric is Scott Gooding who's directed by Scott Brennan, and The Return of Eric is written by Emilie Collyer, Dave Hoskin, Karin Muiznieks, Morgan Rose, Neil Triffet and Nic Vellissaris.

From stopping a PM from jumping to adopting a manchild to heading down the Nepean* to escape hipstergeddon, Gooding changes character on a pin head and gives every Eric the chance to show their heart or fall on their arse. And with so many sketches in less than an hour, Brennan doesn't allow for a second of wasted time and ensures that there are moments to reflect before landing the next joke and meeting a new Eric.

As a form, Eric stands alone. Without the personal reflection of stand up or the safe distance of detailed character, The Return of Eric is able to bite all the hands that feed and to snap at the many worlds where middle aged guys think they are in control.

* As someone who had to head down the Nepean (to escape dick landlords rather than the hipsters), I think Brighton is still doing a good job of stopping the approach to Zone 2.

Sammy J and Randy are launching their Difficult First Album album. You can buy it at their show, Difficult First Album Tour.

With favourite songs and moments from past shows, it's a night for fans to celebrate everything we love about the housemates from Ricketts Lane. If you, somehow, have yet to fall in love with the genius of the bald purple fuzzy guy and his tall skinny friend, this is a chance to catch up on their story but a best of show is never as wonderful as a complete story.

Ben McKenzie is Uncool is about passion, never being afraid to love what you love, and the difference between a nerd and a hipster.

It also has one more night in Brunswick Street's Provincial Hotel. The nerds will tell you to bring your friends and will soon be wearing "I'm as uncool as Ben McKenzie" t-shirts; the hipsters will tell you that the show was only really good back in week 2.

Uncool is Ben sharing his stories about being a nerd. He's so nerdy that there's a card game to choose which stories he tells. With unfinished degrees, <joke> HTML </joke> and a love of Stegosauruses, the Harry Potter books and Doctor Who, I glowed with the warmth of knowing I'm uncool, but Ben proves that I don't deserve to call myself a nerd.

Ben's knowledge and obsessive fandom puts me to shame. He makes me want to read more and stop playing Candy Crush, because it really is a crap game that requires no skill.

Without a hint of cynicism, Uncool is about redefining our definitions of cool and about loving what we love with the kind of passion that would make Fonzie want to be a nerd.

This was on aussietheatre.com.au

Quick MICF: Potentially

Sammy J: Potentially
Laughing Stock Productions
11 April 2013
Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne
to 21 April
comedyfestival.com.au

I nearly forget that I saw Sammy J's Potentially! What's wrong with me? It's a night of musical comedy stand up that's as close to perfect as it can be – and it had a story about a possum! I love stories about possums.

I've said it before and expect that I'll be saying it for a long time to come: Sammy J is one of the best around who never fails to be fucking hilarious. If you haven't seen him, get yourself a ticket NOW.

He knows how to craft a surprising story, opens up enough to share his most embarrassing moments, sings a fine song and I've joined his fuck crusade. It's a plan to remove the ridiculous fear of the word "fuck" out of our lives. It's fucking brilliant word, but I'm keeping moist in my vocab, if only to describe a good cake.

Forest of Dreams on telly

Sammy J and Health McIvor finger the zeitgeist every time they get together.

Sammy J in the Forest of Dreams made me fall in hopeless love with Terry the Squirrel and ensured that I see these fine artists whenever I can cos they are so fucking funny.

If you have the Comedy Channel on your television, be home on Friday 24 June (and record it for those times you need a good cheering up).

Review: Sammy J & Randy in Bin Night

MICF 2011
Sammy J & Randy in Bin Night
Laughing Stock Productions
2 April 2011
Victoria Hotel
to 24 April and now at the Hi Fi Bar
www.comedyfestival.com.au

As Sammy J and Randy's Bin Night has moved to a bigger venue and added extra shows, they don't need another review raving about their unmissability. Sorry...

If you don't do and see Melbourne's greatest heterosexual puppet-man couple every chance you get, you're mad.  With an effortless rapport that makes Fred and Ginger's dancing look awkward, they are consistently fucking hilarious ... and smart and forever fingering the zeitgeist.

This year, they are still sharing a house in Rickett's Lane, but all is not right. Someone is putting rubbish in THEIR bin, so it's time for an all-night stake out and time to dig through the household scraps to uncover some secrets. But that's just story. This show's for anyone who remembers Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, loves pinstripe PJs and has wanted to kiss in front of Pharlap's corpse.

I'd love every comedy festival goer to take a risk and see an unknown show, but if you want to balance that risk with some guaranteed brilliance, see if there are any tickets left for Sammy J and Randy (the purple dude on the end of Heath McIvor's arm).

This review appears on AussieTheatre.com

Review: Sammy J - Skinny Man, Modern World

MELBOURNE FRINGE 2010
Skinny Man, Modern World
Sammy J 
1 October 2010
The Ballroom, Fringe hub
to 9 October
www.melbournefringe.com.au

Our Sammy's all grown up. With no puppets, fancy sets (or Heath) and a slimming pin-stripe suit, Sammy J shares a reflective hour of sophisticated wit and word play... if you think reflection is fantasising about Alf from Home and Away, sophistication is getting rat-arsed drunk and the words you like playing with include "fingering" and "fucking ugly mermaid".

Sammy J has never been shy of revealing his embarrassing past, and Skinny Man, Modern World is a step towards a style of personal story telling that is going to open him up even more, let us see the man behind the character and make him even more of legend.

Smart as without ever being a smart arse,  Sammy J is simply one the best around. I love him in the same way I love Tim Minchin and Daniel Kitson.

I hope he never stops creating shows with Randy and puppeteer Heath McIvor, but I can't wait to see more of this intimate style of show that is just about Sammy and his stories. Some of which are songs, some of which may not be true and one of which is the BEST STORY told this Fringe. I can say no more because I'm blushing from the memory of it. The best comedians are the brave ones, the ones brave enough to pull out those stories that the rest of us would never, ever speak about.

And he's funny. Very, very, very, very funny. Jaw aching from laughing funny. Brain aching from thinking funny. Heart aching from feeling funny.

 Skinny Man, Modern World is on until 9 October.


PS: Have I mentioned that the first time I reviewed Sammy J, I was only mildly impressed.  I know how wrong I was. Always give performers another go.

This review appears on AussieThearte.com

Review: Sammy J and Randy in Ricketts Lane

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL 2010
Sammy J and Randy in Ricketts Lane
27 March 2010
Victoria Hotel

Even though Damo really proposed to Donna this week, Sammy J and Randy in Ricketts Lane affirms that Sammy J and Randy are still my favourite Comedy Festival couple.

Sammy J and Randy (puppeteer wonder Heath McIvor) are always terrific in their solo shows but like sparklie foil and chocolate eggs (not Nestle because of that baby thing in Africa – thanks for reminding us Sammy J) they belong together.

In Ricketts Lane, they are best friends and housemates . Sammy is a lowly underpaid shit-kicking lawyer-cum-pole dancer and Randy is divorced and in need of some quick money. When Sammy finally has a career-making tax fraud case...you know the rest.

But you will be always be surprised. J and McIvor are the most original duo on our comedy stage, who deserve every whoop and squeal that comes from their ever-growing young and gorgeous audience (and the rest of us who won’t miss anything they do).

I’d rave more, but John Richards was also throwing his underwear at the stage and had this to say about the boys:

Sammy J is amazing. Randy is amazing. Heath McIvor is amazing. The songs? Amazing. And the comedy! Amazing. In a word – amazing.

If you liked Sammy J In The Forest Of Dreams you must see this. If you like puppets you must see this. If you like songs about sleep, jokes about scrabble or Barack Obama audio cookery books, you must see this.

Honestly, JUST GO.

Ditto.

This review appears on AussieTheatre.com.

Sammy J - 1999

Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2009
Sammy J - 1999
4 April 2009
Melbourne Town Hall

If I were 14, I’d be writing “SJ 4 AMP” on my pencil case, putting a great big love heart around it and considering some under the jumper action.

Sammy J had a cringe worthy start on Red Faces in the 90s, but he has found his genre and made it his own. His cabaret is terrific but following on from the amazing Sammy J and Forest of Dreams, the Sammy J -1999 style of musical comedy is going to make him famous. (And it lets him prance around the austere Melbourne Council Chambers in a pair of budgie smugglers, waving rainbow ribbons.)

It’s 42 days ‘til Toy Story Two, Malcolm Turnball is a republican hero, Y2K is threatening to fuck up our VCRs and 15-year-old Sammy Gay is rightly terrified of getting a boner at the pool.

The dial up internet and the Tamagotchi set the era, but the angst-ridden quest for coolness is as universal as it gets and Stiffy J’s natural story telling evokes our painful teenage memories with an unseen cast of archetypal classmates and a tale of painful decisions and nerdy revenge. Teenagers do horrible things to each other and make stupid choices in their quest for acceptance and love. As grown ups we learn that nothing really changes and accept that there’s a bit of Stiffy Gay in us all. (Yes Wade - that’s a double entendre.)

Sammy’s hero journey is textbook, but it’s also tear-wiping, jaw-aching, snort-out-loud funny. Bring your teenagers, but you will love it even more than they do.

PS: To all the geeky teens out there – the cool kids will always want to be fingered by the Wades of the world, but we eventually come to our senses. You just have to wait til we’re 30 ... or 40.

This review originally appeared on AussieTheatre.com.

Randy’s Postcards from Purgatory

Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2009
Randy’s Postcards from Purgatory
5 April 2009
Portland Hotel

As his recent pairings with Sammy J have proven, if Heath McIvor has his hand it, it’s worth checking out. Sammy and Heath’s close friend Randy may be the greatest heterosexual male couple on stage, but have parted ways to give us Comedy Festival solo shows. Sammy has regressed to1999 and Randy is sending us Postcards from Purgatory.

Randy is more foul-mouthed, drunken, and animated than most stand ups. His tale of dismal love is augmented with treats like the divinely absurd Flashback Yeti, a really creepy kids TV show (done with shadow puppets), and Randy’s own hand puppetry – but it’s still just an A to B to “now I SEE that I just need to take charge of my own life” tale – and – we’ve heard it all before.

The monologues that captivate us are filled with dilemmas and choices and the teller creates enough detail to bring every element of their semi-fictional world to life. It’s hard not to have a bit of a crush on someone as purple and irresistible as Randy, but it’s hard to care about Randy and Polly, when we don’t know much about her. Compared to the complexity of Randy, his vital offstage characters felt too much like...puppets.

Of course it’s easy to get a giggle by calling Keanu Reeves a cunt, but so is just saying “cunt”. To make it more than a lazy joke, we need to know about Keanu‘s cuntish behaviour. Plot jumps like “Before I knew it I was a Private Detective” gave us rip snorting prop gags, but instantly sacrificed the authenticity of the story. We believe in Randy – so we need to believe in his world as well.

Great story isn’t just good plot. The same night I saw Denise Scott make community circus sound fascinating, and Sam Simmons bring Adelaide’s most bogan-filled Westfield to vivid, almost fit-inducing life. Randy’s story is more interesting, but Denise and Sam made their worlds and their unseen characters live. Postcards from Purgatory is perfectly told by Randy, and worth going just for the telling, but the story needs more detail to make it soar.

This review originally appeared on AussieTheatre.com.

Sammy J’s Wagon of Friendship

Sammy J’s Wagon of Friendship
November 29 2008
The Speigeltent

Hail down Sammy J's Wagon of Friendship before it high-tails out of town and Sammy is forced to cut off his limbs in order to please his family for Christmas.

I first saw Sammy J early this year when he sang about shagging Brittney Spears and Germaine Greer (not at the same time). Now, after a journey through the Forest of Dreams, he’s singing about his soon-to-be wife, and not embarrassing her at all.

Every time I see Sammy, I like him more. In the course of a few months, I’ve gone from a (possibly condescending) ho-hum-to-OK to a (genuinely enthusiastic) oh-my-god-don’t-miss Sammy-J.

My cheap rhyme of OK with J was inspired by Sammy’s lyrics. Anyone who rhymes Ingrid with fingered has to be on the road to stardom - or infamy.

From his opening auction of a comic routine (a giggle won’t win, but try a chortle and see what happens) to the metaphor challenge and it’s devastating consequences, Sammy J effortlessly charms with his blend of slightly-naughty cabaret and I’m-trying-to be offensive-but I’m-just-too-nice stand-up. Even the cunt jokes are as welcome as the cute, furry shoulder-sitting mole meditation. (Not sure about the rape joke though. It needed more context to make it funny, rather than just under-grad annoying. Germaine would agree with me.)

We were expecting Sammy-J and his piano to be driving the wagon alone, but Randy (ably assisted by puppeteer Heath McIvor) insisted on a roadside hijack, decked out in a how-can-you-call-this-racists ‘Red Indian’ costume. Randy isn’t as loveable as Terry the squirrel (from the brilliant Sammy J in the Forest of Dreams), but he’s still pretty cool and the unique McIvor/J pairing is as endearing as Bert and Ernie – but with more swearing and less homoerotic undertones.

Along the way, Sammy’s wagon found Ali McGregor hitching hiking along Swanston St and offered her the guest-spot of the night (this time I loved the dress Ali), got the audience pushing when the road was a bit muddy, but failed to entice Geoffrey Rush into the cabin.

Sammy-J's Wagon of Friendship is parked at The Speigeltent until Saturday. You’ll only be disappointed if you decide not to go.

This review origianlly appeared on AussieTheatre.com.

Sammy J in The Forest of Dreams

MELBOURNE FRINGE 2008

Sammy J and the Forest of Dreams
October 2008
Fringe Hub

Is it wrong to have a crush on a squirrel? Terry’s a lovely squirrel. He’s fuzzy, soft, has a great sense of humour, is easily manipulated, and appears in Sammy J in the Forest of Dreams.

If you have heard that Sammy J In The Forest Of Dreams is the must-see show of the Fringe - trust what you’ve heard.

Its ephemeral images delicately explore the role of fairy tales and childhood dreams in our contemporary existence...NOT! It’s an arse-raping, puppet-snogging, king-fisting hoot, that’ll have you snorting with laughter.

Local comedian Sammy J and puppeteer Heath McIvor made this show from the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. All jokes aside, it demonstrates a solid knowledge of genre, incorporates original, authentic characters and is tied together with a well-told, complex and interesting story.

And it is funny. Very, very, very funny. Just don’t let the puppets fool you into thinking it’s a kid’s show. The opening “Fuck You Disney” song sets the tone – and it’s all down hill from there.

The Fringe season is sold out. So, sucked in if you missed out!

GOOD NEWS
The season is now extended. October 16 to November 9 at the Lithuanian Club.

PS: If you want to see a terrific interview with Terry the Squirrel,  John Richards had a chat with him for The Outland Institute.
 
This review originally appeared on AussieTheatre.com.

Laughapoolooza

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL 2008

Laughapoolooza

Umbrella Revolution, Federation Square 

22 March 2008

Laughapoolooza is a showcase of musical comedians (or comical musicians) appearing at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. In its fourth year, the likes of the wonderful Tim Minchin, Tripod and Sista She have appeared. This year’s “best of” aren’t quite of that standard, but still worthy of a chuckle or two.

These “best of” gigs can be quite difficult for audience and performers. With very limited stage time, it’s vital to have sharp and strong material that is going to grab your audience immediately (and try to convince them to come to your show). The whole night hangs off the likeability and skill of the host. This person warms the audience up and gets them ready to love everyone on that stage. The Bedroom Philosopher got the gig this week.

I last saw the Philosopher in 2006 and was looking forward to seeing how his act had matured and changed. It hasn’t. The character continues to be unclear, inconsistent and confusing. There seems to be continual conflict between the character and the performer. The result is frustrating and at times boring. What is even more frustrating is that there is some terrific, funny, witty, original writing in the Philosopher’s material, but the good stuff is lost in the character confusion. There is also the issue of blaming the audience if they don’t laugh. These people have paid to see you – they want to cack themselves laughing. They don’t have to patronise you with polite fake laughs if they’re not amused. I felt that there was little preparation done for this particular gig. When you have admitted that the material in one song was so old that it failed, it might be a lesson in abandoning the stale and creating something new. There are too many great comedians (and hosts) in town right now to accept someone who hasn’t prepared. I began to wonder if he enjoys being on the stage? Because it came across like he was doing the show just so he could go out drinking afterwards.  

Sammy J works with a keyboard and has a juice box prop (juice boxes are always funny). Sammy is appealing and with some more experience and a tightening up of his work, I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of him. In his song, Britney Spears turns up at his door in answer to the letter he sent her in 1999 as a horny 16 year old.  Great concept, super start – then along came Germaine Greer. The Germaine material was based on a limited and, frankly, ridiculous stereotype of an angry feminist. We have begun to accept the concept that men and women are equal, so if you’re going to do angry feminist material, you really, really, really have to understand what you are talking about. The line between satire and offence (or ignorance) is slim. (Check out the incredible Daniel Kitson to see this line balanced brilliantly.) Sammy’s joke would have worked if it ended when Germaine grabbed his dick. Leaving a conclusion up to the audience's imaginations can make it much funnier.

Smart Casual are a duo from NSW. I’d really like to see their show after their short set. They understood character, were well rehearsed, worked with the audience and know the genres they are satirising. Their ditty about not leaving your kids with Britney Spears was very cute and the Eric Clapton verse may be my favourite joke of the festival (even if big chunks of the audience didn’t get it). Perhaps a couple of chords from the very famous song would jog memories.

The Axis of Awesome are a trio of rock geeks on the road to somewhere good. Birdplane may not be the greatest comedy rock anthem ever, but it wasn’t half-bad. Their medley of every great pop song that only uses four chords was wonderful and any Ah Ha reference is worth some brownie points.

Pappy’s Fun Club are a foursome from the UK. These likeable lads clearly had a lot of fun on the stage. There was obvious intelligence behind their jokes, but they need to work on getting in late and leaving early. Don’t turn good jokes into extended sketches.

Geraldine Quinn is consistently damn fine and proves how experience does improve performances. She only did one song though – which affirmed her message, “the world’s fucked, they’re all cunts and no one cares.”

Tom Basden recently won Best Newcomer Award Winner at Edinburgh Fringe. The short sketch version didn’t show us why and I suspect his full show is much better. With rhymes like Budda is gooda than you, there’s surely some fine material to discover.

The next Laughapoolooza is on Friday April 4. It’s a different line up. If you fancy a late night musical laugh-a-thon, it could be a great choice.

This review appeared on AussieTheatre.com