Oh, whoo!
Taken to the Opera House by a friend to attend a night of stand-up comedy.
The Sydney Comedy month long Festival has begun. This GALA hosted by American/Irish comedian, Des Bishop, introduced us to another 15 comedians who delivered 5 minutes or so, of their material. It was like being served a degustation of laughs in a swanky restaurant.
The Hall was packed. It was a very interesting crowd. Lots and lots of young people and some elderlies. Some in Hetero couples, cuddling up to each other between 'courses'. Some in Homo couples, in this modern age, cuddling up to each other, between 'courses'. AND, some bromance couples, straight from work, coatless, tieless, nearly cuddling up to each other during the 'courses', though more often sipping their drinks in the Hall.
There were lots of "Fuck, this. Fuck that', pre-occupied sex jokes as well as some clever sophisticated cultural observances amid the cheesy "I love youse all'. "Sydney is just great"."What about Melbourne?" "Oh, what about Bondi?!!!!''
I will give you now my personal rating of which of these comedians I might book in their Festival venues to get a full Main Course meal of their material:
- Ian Bagg from Canada: UPSIDE DOWN. - Hilarious. Command of the audience and ad-lib material from go-to-woe. Terrific.
- Lawrence Mooney from Australia: AN EVENING WITH MALCOLM. Political satire of some meaningfulness. Keen.
- Fiona O'Loughlin from Australia: GAP YEAR. County Women's Association with knife edge observation. Dry.
- Larry Dean from Scotland: FANDAN. Sexy, cute and gay-friendly funny! - maybe biased.
- Rhys Nicholson from Australia: SEMINAL. The delivery is as if he is on speed (?) Crisply cruel, yet, still funny.
- Guy Montgomery from New Zealand: GUY MONTGOMERY DOESN'T CHECK HIS PHONE FOR AN HOUR. Laid back and gentle stealth in his routine - classic NZ humour.
- Keith Franklin's CHOPPER, from Australia: BOGAN JESUS. Well, Chopper is an easy persona, really to gather laughs from. Predictably funny.
- Urzila Carlson from RSA and New Zealand: STUDIES HAVE SHOWN. Ok to good, just a little soft in her observations.
- Andrew Maxwell from Ireland: SHOWTIME. First half of the gig was just okay but second half was spot on target - funny.
- Jamali Maddix from United Kingdom: LIVE. A trifle cliche but still humorous. Terrorist beard humour.
- Becky Lucas from Australia: CUTE FUNNY SMART SEXY BEAUTIFUL. Material just a trifle cliche, so, a bit boring - still one laughed. Tired single girl sex woes.
- Jason Bryne from Ireland: THE MAN WITH THREE BRAINS. One can really tire of dumb, cliche sex comedy routines - felt very 'old school'. Air Vent SEx. Vacuum Cleaner sex!!! Huh?!
- Paul Chowdry from United Kingdom: LIVE INNIT. On this night, the material did not appear very comfortable - he looked relieved to get off. Looked smart but backed away from the audience.
- Harley Breen from Australia: FLAT OUT DOING NOTHING. Drop kick material - not really funny - duh! Why would you think that material was still appropriate in this day-and-age. My kid the football!! Does he have anything else?
- Dane Baptiste from United Kingdom: G.O.D. (GOLD. OIL. DRUGS) Well, some really inappropriate material, enough to wonder if he has been asleep during the last year. Hmmmm? Hmmmm? !!!!
The Host, Des Bishop likes the word 'fuck' and can dwell on his sexual American/Irish 'straightness' a lot (doth he protest too much, is what bubbled to my consciousness) - he is lucky that he has those looks, especially, the 'Baz Luhrmann' coiffed grey hair. Maybe rank him between Becky and Jason. We did get more than a degustation serving of him, of course.
My friend, may have had a completely different order/list. AND, I'm sure you will have your own favourites.
Fun to be at. At 5 minutes a pop - a go-go - you were either glad that there was no more and that they were making towards the exit, or you were left wanting more.
A slick night in the theatre. Production values, simple but A1.
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