Chelsea Heaney, I Swear I’m Funny; Casey Lorae, La Folie After Dark; Dylan Murphy and Tom Henry Jones, In the Dark; Isabelle Carney, The Moment; A Daylight Connection, The Blok!; Mammalian Diving Reflex, Nightwalks with Teenagers;
Sheppard’s performance is full of comic subversion, camp and toilet humor, outrageous physical comedy, and pop culture satire, as well as cheerful critique of existing aesthetic hierarchies. He strikes with lightning bolts at every flaw (and many sacred cows) in theatrical and critical culture, and the comedic storm he creates has a smiling calm in the divine presence of the West.
Carly Sheppard’s performance is full of hilarious subversionCredit: Jacinta Keefe
I haven’t laughed this much in a long time. Anyone in the theater world will be amazed at how current comedy is; Fans of super irreverent humor in general – south park It occurs to me – I must love this show too.
Although – like south park – may be too “tasteless” for some, there is a real freedom in such fearless and clever satire, and I think the way the show dissects the politics of taste is part of its appeal.
★★★★
Reviewed by Cameron Woodhead
THEATRE
Mammalian Diving Reflex | Night Walks with Young People
Werribee (various locations), season ended
Night Walks with Young People were held in Werribee as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival
Reviewing a work by Mammalian Diving Reflex is like reviewing the last conversation you had. The Canada-based company performs “socially engaged participatory performance,” which involves bringing together people who would usually never cross paths, providing them with a structure in which to interact, and then just seeing what happens.
In this situation You’re invited to wander the backstreets and public gardens of Werribee for a few hours in the company of more than a dozen local teenagers. They’ve designed activities to explore along the way, from dancing and karaoke to a range of dating games, and while there’s no show or showboating moment, there are countless opportunities for real connections to be made along the way.
It’s a gentle rebuke to the reductive image of troubled youth that makes headlines, and a reminder that today’s youth have much more in common with the youth of yesterday than we realize.
★★★★
Reviewed by John Bailey
COMEDY
Chelsea Heaney | I swear I’m funny
Colorful Bauhaus until October 12
When a performer opens the show swaying down the aisle performing a ridiculous burlesque-style striptease, the reassurance in the title reads: I swear I’m funny – doesn’t seem necessary; The audience is already laughing.
Chelea Heaney will perform at Motley Bauhaus until October 12.Credit: Nathan Smith
Having won the support of the room, Chelsea Heaney begins to examine what made her the funny woman on stage. It’s a task undertaken mostly through stand-up, peppered with a skit or two, a song and some physical comedy. These interludes are perfect in terms of both musical talent and comedic timing. It’s no surprise, then, that he counts musical theater as one of the reasons he’s funny, overheard, and more with his family.
Heaney knows how to craft an anecdote for maximum laughs, delivering punchlines and unexpected twists with theater-kid aplomb. A nod must also be given to the talented audience interactions that add captivating touches to their stories. The show comes together as a satisfyingly energetic and charismatic whole.
★★★★
Reviewed by Lefa Singleton Norton
CIRCUS
Casey Lorae | La Folie After Dark
Gasworks Theatre, until October 11
La Folie After Dark is at Gasworks Theater until October 11.Credit: All Emotions Photography
It begins with a warning: Prepare yourself for “swearing, BDSM, and assault.” As you stare at a hoop and chains hanging in a dark, misty room, it’s not entirely clear what you’re walking into. But when the first artist bends his body, uncertainty is replaced by sheer admiration. Meters in the air, he effortlessly lifts and twists his body, wrapping his limbs around the hoop as if they were liquid.
Whether on the hoop, trapeze, silks or straps, the strength of the human body is on full display. Performers are free-falling from ceiling height, making slits in the air and lifting other performers by their necks with their feet. It defies belief but still looks so hot and flawless.
Although each individual pulls off astounding moves, the production as a whole lacks cohesion. A startling attempt to link two performances using a prop cup interrupts your dazed reverie. La Folie It struggles to connect the dots, but it’s still a testament to the breathtaking power and seductiveness of the human form.
★★★
Reviewed by Nell Geraets
THEATRE
Dylan Murphy and Tom Henry Jones | In the dark
Trade Hall, until October 12
Somewhere in a secret bunker, five comedians are waiting for the electricity to drain from a dystopian wasteland to begin their modest radio show: The right-hand man of an authoritarian regime tries to calm the rebellion through silly arts, morality tales and theatricalized propaganda. Think of an Orwellian Orson Welles or The Hunger Games as an interwar publication. The rebels are out there, the disembodied voice of your big brother-like leader is waiting to deliver performance notes via firing squad, and there’s a piss bucket if you need it.
In the Dark will perform at Trades Hall until October 12.Credit: Dylan Murphy
It’s a great premise, and writers Dylan Murphy and Tom Henry Jones have assembled a fantastic cast to make it happen. Hannah Camilleri transforms into a crow with the flapping of a plastic tree’s wings and a mysterious squawking sound. Maria Angelico transitions easily from salacious milkmaid to doe-eyed lover. And Mark Mitchell’s deep voice is perfect for the veteran actor desperate to appeal to butter-churning women aged 16 to 25.
However, too much narration ties the scenario to a dead end. And the moments of foley artistry – often the most interesting part of theatricalized radio plays – are too underdeveloped to justify why the show was staged at all. Ultimately, this killer cast isn’t given enough to do, and this killer premise can’t find its feet.
★★
Reviewed by Guy Webster
