All posts tagged: comedy

Win x1 double pass for Melbourne’s Home for Improvised Shakespeare

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****COMPETITION NOW CLOSED *** Two shows will be produced producing two shows for the MELBOURNE International Comedy Festival: Completely Improvised Potter and Completely Improvised Shakespeare. Both shows are wonderful fun, have received rave reviews and are a great night out. Here is your chance to win x1 double pass on us. Simply share this post on Facebook or Instagram and tag us @weknowmelbourne (your profile must be public so we can see the share!). Get a bigger chance to win by filling the form on We Know Melbourne Website.  Competition closes on 21st March 2019.    

Badass

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Badass is a new comedy cabaret creation from the mind of Tash York (Desperettes, Adulting, These Things Take Wine) – it’s loud, in your face and straight up fun. Through the power of parody and clever lyrical mash ups, Tash brings her audience on her own personal journey of being (or becoming) a badass – which turns out to be a sweet rollercoaster of emotions touching on real life mental health issues, bullying (and consequently standing up for yourself), love lost and found. Not too heavy and not too light.. as they say, just right. Like many good shows, Tash connects with her audience through ‘me too’ (not #metoo) moments, like feeling as though you’ve really got your life together when you’ve stocked up on organising-type stationary at your local Officeworks, or somehow racking up an unimaginable amount of unpaid parking fines. Like many great shows, Badass ends with a bang – a Rage Against the Machine (or the patriarchy.. am I right ladies…) singalong which everyone more than enthusiastically joined in with fervour. Tash …

BECOME THE ONE

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Become the One is a story we have never seen or even heard of but which would, surely, exist. The play develops around the couple’s budding romance and ongoing partnership by focusing on their shared domestic life. Following a flirtatious first meeting when Noah is contracted as Tom’s cleaner, the two soon start cohabiting and indulging in teasing pillow talk, bubbling sexual energy, and happy moments, like knitting, together. The outside world peeps into their sanctuary through references to the media surrounding Tom’s athletic status, a point of tension resulting in climatic moments. Become the One is a tragedy representative not only of queer athletes and their partners but of the Australian Football League’s persistence in modelling a repressive narrative of masculinity and heteronormativity to a nation.  Venue: Main Theatre – Gasworks Arts Park, 21 Graham Street, Albert Park Duration: (70 mins) Date: 6th to 9th February 2019 More info here

Review: May Contain Traces of Reading

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Imagine a stand-up comedy show where the star doesn’t utter a single word. You could be excused for being apprehensive in anticipation of a badly executed mime, but this show is more ‘giant palm cards’ than Marcel Marceau, laced with a touch of Mr Bean. It’s an interesting navigation of Robert Mitchell’s checklist of comedy prowess through the unspoken word. The beauty of this style of show is the lack of of awkward silences, remedied by Mitchell’s arsenal of Dad jokes kept up his sleeve (or in his carefully pre-prepared folder). Supported by a sassy sidekick of the digital variety, this show is warm, expressive and performed like a well-oiled machine, and unique in that heckling is highly encouraged during the performance – if only so Robert can make excellent use of his rather large pre-prepared folder chock-full of ‘sick comedian burns’. The show fell a little short for me after a long day of reading at work, but is relatively family friendly and has definite appeal for the deaf community. “May Contain Traces of …

MICF Review: Perri Cassie “Secondhand Bubblegum”

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Melbourne local Perri Cassie is a twenty something man wrapped in a blush pink “Leisure” sweater, all tied up in black dungarees and ready to make you laugh. Cassie has been honing his material in Melbourne’s local comedy scene, in rooms around Australia and has recently returned from entertaining audiences in the USA, bringing all his best material to MICF with his show, “Secondhand Bubblegum”. Cassie’s show is a complete joke free-for-all, with an upbeat story telling style mixed with self-deprecating quips, shock value and topical observational humour. Stand outs were his hilarious observations on the changes to the order of bases when dating in adult life (why go to home base last?), testing flat earthers, Afterpay for property and the joys of having high school classmates as Facebook friends. Cassie closes his show with a re-write of your typical men’s body spray ad (where better to start addressing the levels of toxic masculinity in our society) bringing the audience to near tears and joyous rounds of applause. 4 Stars Reviewed and written by our …

MICF Review: Tash York “Adulting”

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At 30 years young, Tash York is essentially a veteran of the Australian Festival and Fringe scenes, having toured solo shows including “These Things Take Wine” and with troupes The Desperettes and Impromptunes, she now delights audiences with her new show “Adulting”. If you’ve ever tried to adult and failed, York’s show could be the soundtrack to your life!  York weaves a tapestry of anecdotes into hilarious rewritten cover songs, including hits from Destiny’s Child, Ace of Base, Bruno Mars and Whitesnake. Her stories and songs delve into York’s own adventures in adulting, from being engaged at 19 to racking up serious parking fine debt but also commentary on modern life, always being connected but that we should also be okay with being alone and having some solo self-love time (hilariously sung whilst in a sleeping bag).  York also gives her thoughts on why modern generations are failing at adulting, placing at least some of the blame on Walt Disney’s shoulders, through a medley of Disney princesses greatest hits! York rounds out the absolute hilarity …

MICF Review: Chimp Cop “The Death of Chimp Cop”

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Ben Vernel, Adam Knox, Rosie Vernel and Timothy Clark are Melbourne’s own sketch comedy quadruple “Chimp Cop”.  The group brings their fourth Chimp Cop show to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival with “The Death of Chimp Cop”.  This reviewer was familiar with the group by name only and was uncertain what to expect but was blown away by the talent, the gags (ranging from sophisticated to Dad joke) and the production of the show. As the title would suggest, the show centre’s around the death of beloved hero cop turned movie star, “Chimp Cop”.  Easily moving between scenes, including a modern-day court setting, where Chimp Cop’s children have their lawyers battle it out over their inheritance to flashbacks of Chimp Cop’s life, a fantastic action filled story is woven.  At times the show felt like a sensational combination of the 60s Batman and Get Smart tv series and was a gag-a-minute roller coaster ride with a plot twist that Hollywood would be proud of. The room was packed, with friends, long time fans and now …

MICF Review: Annie Louey “Butt Donut”

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Sometimes life does a 360 degree turn around and throw the most unexpected surprise at us. That is exactly what happened to Annie Louey; but not in a graceful way. You might wonder why “Butt Donut” is the name of the comedy show. Don’t worry, Annie will explain exactly how she got the name “Butt Donut” during the show. Annie Louey, a burnt survivor comedian who took us on a journey of her life experiences. Travelling, family, being a Chinese born Australian… and of course, the survival story of her incident. She was engaging with the audiences, expressive and very detailed (in a comical way). Annie knows how to interact with you, and keep you on your toes during her show. You might learn a little about Americans and travelling around the world. A show that has bittersweet moments that may make your nose tingle. (That feeling you get when you are about to cry?). But Annie will use her humour to make sure you walk out laughing. P.S Did you know if you type …

MICF Review: Jacqueline Mifsud “Be Better!”

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Having read a bit of back story before the show, I was excited for what was to come – her story is empowering and great motivation to ‘be better’, if she can do it why can’t you!  Remising about growing up and her relationship with her mother is something we can all relate to. Nothing being good enough and trying to take control, especially over a cheese platter… we have all been there! Mifsud’s hilarious take on the ‘wog’ family life left nothing to the imagination and had everyone in stitches as did her witty analogy to her spirit animal – the blue ringed octopus!  As brilliant as the show is, her comedy can be somewhat a little dark and tackle some big issues in the media right now such as cyber bullying and eating disorders. Her take on this is still very funny, however could be a touchy subject for some. The overall theme of the show is ‘be better’ and don’t be a d**khead, her idea of what makes a d**khead is fantastic …

MICF Review: Gerard McGowan “Only Getting Funnier”

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Gerard McGowan has been gracing the stages of Australia’s best RSL’s and pubs for over seven years now, and it shows in his rapid fire approach to jokes. McGowan lays them on hard and fast, leaving the audience feeling they’re getting good bang for their buck. He’s used to competing with Keno and drunken hecklers for his punchlines. From stories about his day job colleagues in civil construction (read: unskilled labouring) to his terrier like inability to let go after being swindled out of a pizza McGowan uses his dry wit to disarm and entertain. I was lucky to catch him on an almost sold-out night, McGowan was fresh from an appearance on FM radio but appeared stunned that we’d all shown up without hearing his spruiking. He says the 50 minute solo show is not his favourite medium but he delivered admirably despite that. You do get a sense that he is used to filling in ten minute sets on variety nights, with his stories all lasting about that long. He managed to tie …