Menu
By Shane Murphy
The title of this show was enough for me. The tension that a Millennial would feel in not looking at his screen for a whole hour sounded a funny premise around which a show could revolve. The New Zealand comic (latterly located in New York), Guy Montgomery has a gentle manner. This is not super aggressive
Read More
By Shane Murphy
The Comic’s Lounge in North Melbourne feels like the beer barn of comedy venues in this festival. It brings a chunk of Frankston’s infamous Pier Hotel into the inner city, while conjuring up some memories of the long gone Last Laugh in Collingwood. It’s big, and quite full considering it’s a cool Tuesday evening. It’s
Read More
By Shane Murphy
After a blessed run of terrific, thought provoking shows and a lot of laughs, there had to a misfire. Unfortunately Gabe Hogan’s show was it. Hogan’s show is ostensibly about discovering her inner gay self at age 36. She bounces onstage and makes straight for her wine, making a crack about only wanting to get there
Read MoreBy Shane Murphy
Speakeasy HQ is an entirely appropriate venue for the First World White Girls. Speakeasy bills itself as the home of vaudeville and these girls are very showbizzy. In fact, you might even call their show a musical, and a very funny one. The White Girls sing their way through an hour of first world problems accompanied
Read More
By Shane Murphy
Take one part Los Trios Ringbarkus, three parts Pizza/Housos crew, endless amounts of absurdist whimsy, 40,000 volts of stored up energy and a smattering of every starflower, hippie ragger you’ve ever seen and you end up with Julia Rorke and Elysia Hall in Not Another F****d B****h in India. This is an hour of super
Read More
By Shane Murphy
By sheer fluke, I’ve seen two late shows that spring from a similar base. If Chase Paradise was a show to bring your blokes to, then Alexandra Hines’ IM.Mortal feels like the show I’d want young women to see for its scathing portrayal of celebrity worship and lifestyles. It’s not quite as brash as Paradise,
Read More
By Shane Murphy
The Comedy Zone is an omnibus show of four stand ups and a young MC billed as “comedy’s newest heroes”. It’s good value. You get to see a few minutes of five different acts, none of whom you’ve likely heard of, in one swift hit. Rowan Thambar is the MC tonight. He’s a little less comfortable with being
Read More
By Shane Murphy
Woo woo woo hoo! The screams and hoots from a very partisan audience are the loudest I’ve heard in a while at a smallish preview show. We’ve heard a very ’80s radio announcer voiceover blast through the speakers, telling us all about the “girls on show” and the “meggaaastrip” that’s coming, as Chase Paradise sashays
Read More
By Shane Murphy
David O’Doherty, (pronounced O’Dorrity, not O’Doherrty or O’Docherty), is at his peak. He has been selling out the Upstairs Forum for several years now with his music/stand-up schtick and he’s, well, sorta cruisin’. His show, You Have to Laugh, is more a command than a sigh. He makes a point of being 42, making him yet another comedian
Read More
By Shane Murphy
Rose Callaghan’s third pun-titled show No Way Rose (following Rose before Hoes and Will you Take this Rose?) takes place in the bedroom sized Ladies’ Lounge at the Forum Theatre in Flinders Street. We are jammed in like sardines, but it provides a we’re-all-in-this-together atmosphere. This is stand-up at its most bare and intimate: a mic, wine glass
Read More