Month: March 2016

When Hayley Met Salad – MICF Review

If you too grieve over kebabs that could have been, make embarrassing drunk phone calls and have an intimate relationship with your fast food server then When Hayley Met Salad is the show for you. Hayley Brennan takes us through her time as a gym bunny, under the watchful eye of her personal trainer sister, and the events that sent her from KFC to the treadmill. Brennan’s physical comedy is superb. Her slo-mo recreation of drinking tequila, is hilarious until you realise that’s how awful you looked the last time you did shots. And you’ve never seen someone so accurately take a bra off one handed whilst remaining fully clothed. It takes a little while for Brennan to get into the flow of her piece. Her beginning section moves nervously from one thought to another, and when she feels that her audience aren’t completely with her she rushes through the sketch. But once everyone warms up, her jokes land brilliantly. Brennan’s personal misadventures scan much better with the audience then some of her early lines …

Bobby’s Bits – MICF Review

“I’m so gay I own a flannel shirt”. The next 45 minutes are a chuckle-inducing snap-shot into Bobby Macumber’s somewhat wacky life. With a Father who tries his best to be politically correct, a Mum who’s a champion at aggressive hide and seek, and a girlfriend who’s obsessed with watches but useless at time keeping; Macumber has been provided with plenty of fodder for her show. Through a series of stories we see Macumber is gifted at creating characters on stage. Her trip to Bali gives her the opportunity to show off her skills, as the audience meet the larger than life locals with interesting marketing techniques. Although it is confusing when the Balinese market sellers sound like they’re very closely related to Apu from The Simpsons. Each of her stories are very much self-contained, but Macumber could work on her transitions between sketches. It’s obvious there is a theme to the show, but it is missing the flow that a great comedy piece needs. What really stands out are Macumber’s comedy songs. Her parody …

At Arm’s Length – MICF Review

Walking into the intimate La Mama Courthouse in Carlton, the first thing that greeted us was clothes… piles and piles of clothes, strewn about the stage floor, across the seats, in the aisles – designed to realistically bring you into the home of Elsa, Ollie and Clare – three very different twenty-something housemates, who, along with the fourth character Tommy, are the stars of this light-hearted, but complex show. Kitted out with the quintessential uni student necessities like an ironing board table, Mi Goreng noodles and alcohol – the audience actually feel as though they a part of the character’s lives as they move through the ‘complexities of #adulting’. A fabulous mix of dialogue, dance and audience interaction, the content of this show struck a chord with everyone in the audience. The topics covered are highly relevant to the daily lives of average modern punter, whether it’s complicated relationships, ideals, goals or just trying to find out who they are. At Arm’s Length is performed by Victoria Bennet, Patrick Durnan Silva, Jacqui Essing and Riley …

Tegan’s City of Love – MICF Review

Tegan Higginbotham is celebrating a very special year this year. It’s her 10 consecutive year in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, it’s the year she turned to 28, and this was finally the  year she achieved all her childhood dreams! Opening her show with old home movies  of herself running amok at 2 years at 9 months , we instantly fell in love with Tegan and her self-depricating humour. Moving through her teenage years, we were treated to hilarious stories of foibles and follies, from her teenage, Dear Dolly diaries filled with amateur poetry through to amusing and somewhat violent sketches including a Mr Squiggle lookalike being burnt at the cross, for which even Tegan couldn’t explain. Taking inspiration from the City of Love itself; Paris, Tegan’s show was a filled with a series of hiccups she faced as she tried to chase her childhood dreams: a) Fall in love in Paris b) Become an action movie star; and c) Be magic. Like an episode of This is Your Life, Tegan treated us to all sorts of …

Dog Lovers, this show is for you!

What better way to spend your weekend than going to the Dog Lovers Show? Last year it was voted Best Australian Show in 2015 and they are sure to set the records again this year! This family friendly show will have you up close and personal with the cutest pooches, big and small.  Please take note that you CANNOT bring your own pet along. However, there are 500 beautiful dogs that you’ll be able to pet at the show, along with 200+ exhibitors to keep you busy. Here are some highlights that we’ve picked out: Royal Canine Arena Love Bondi Vet? Well, here is your chance to see Dr. Chris Brown and watch incredibly talented dogs compete for the Dog High Jump! On top of that, you will get to meet Dr. Anthony Bennett and Dr. James Carroll from Village Vets. KONG Celebrity Vet Stage Want to learn more about dogs to be an even better Dog Lover? At KONG Celebrity Vet Stage is where you get free talks, educational programs and tips from the …

Velvet

After dazzling audiences around the globe, VELVET arrives at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival! Continuing to defy expectations with an electrifying trip to a world of glamour & abandon. A raucous & seductive fusion of disco, dance, burlesque & circus. It shocks, surprises & scintillates at every turn. It’s a party, it’s dangerous, it’s a showcase fuelled by an exhilarating disco soundtrack that never lets up from the opening moments. Channeling the Studio 54 nightclub vibe, this circus/cabaret show is one not to be missed. When: Until 17 April Where: Merlyn Theatre, The Coopers Malthouse Visit the website here.

Quiz in My Pants: Hardcore Trivia – MICF Review

Everyone loves a little bit of a Trivia night. It brings out the best and worst of people. Mate against mate, even date against date – unleashing the competitive streak in all of us. So when invited along to check out ‘Quiz in My Pants’ as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, we jumped at the chance to put our mad trivia skills to the test.   This was not your traditional pub trivia, and certainly not a show for the prudish (or under 18), but it was light, sparkly and had just the right amount of audience interaction, helped along by it’s later time slot by which point many audience members had had a chance to have a wine or two and loosen up.  On entry groups are given their quiz answer sheet and team name – we’re talking clever pun names like ‘Shaving Ryan’s Privates’ and ‘Inspect Her Gadget’, and that set the scene for the rest of the show as Quiz Mistress ‘Quizzie’ and her sidekick ‘Rusty’ (Cassie Vagliviello and Brendan Ewing) …

Matilda The Musical

Matilda The Musical has arrived in Melbourne! Following rave reviews in Sydney, London’s West End and Broadway, is a multi-award winning musical from the Royal Shakespeare Company, inspired by the genius of Roald Dahl. Based on his 1998 children’s novel, the story follows five year-old Matilda Wormwood (Ingrid Torelli), a child prodigy who armed with a vivid imagination and a sharp mind, dares to take a stand and change her own destiny. Co-written by  Australia’s own Tim Minchin, the show is currently playing at the Princess Theatre. When: From March 13 Where: Princess Theatre, 163 Spring St Visit the website here.

200 Years of Australian Fashion at NGV

Walk through the history of Australian Fashion at the NGV’s latest exhibition: 200 Years of Australian Fashion. Featuring over 120 works from more than ninety designers, this is the first major survey of Australian fashion to be undertaken in this country. From the early dressmaking establishments of Brisbane to the mid-century salons of Collins Street, to the contemporary studios by Bondi’s beaches, 200 Years of Australian Fashion traverses over two centuries of fashion design in Australia. Take a walk through four galleries featuring the best of the best Australian fashion design including Dion Lee, Ellery, Romance Was Born and Toni Maticevski alongside key designs from the past 200 years, including exquisite examples of historic design. When: 5 March – 31 July 2016 Where: Ian Potter Centre, National Gallery of Victoria Visit the website here. Want to find out more about what’s happening in Melbourne? Sign up to the We Know Melbourne mailing list here to stay in the loop.

Get Messy at House of Crabs

Tucked away under the Newmarket Hotel, House of Crabs St Kilda is a blink and you almost miss it, hidden gem in the southside. Originally from Sydney, the crab shack’s rockabilly pub style vibe with band on stage is a stark contrast to the more modern, clean, upmarket restaurant upstairs. The menu is a mix of Southen-style seafood “boils” in delicious sauces (think crabs, mussels and prawns) alongside meats such as chicken and ribs on the grill, and side snacks to go with it. To wash down your seafood feast, there’s also the most delicious and mouthwatering traditional cocktails you can get your hands on. We tried the lageritas, peach cobblers and Alabama Slammas and we can guarantee you that they’re some of the most interesting cocktails we’ve tried in Melbourne. And in case you were wondering, if it’s a go-to date venue –  The answer is yes! To soak up that crab splatter, you’ll get a bib (and gloves) to wear, which is a grade A talking point for when things get awkward on a …