Surreal Comedic Hybrid

I know it has been a while since I last posted a review here -but I've been busy doing science.
I have been roused from my critical dormancy, however, by the news that an accident involving a teleporter, some ping-pong balls and several cans of energy drink has resulted in the amalgamation of two of Melbourne's freshest faces into one unified example of comedic talent.
Capperjack is the brainchild of comedians Nick Capper - he of the wild hair and wild ideas - and Jack Druce - whose youthful looks and calm demeanour belie the hilarity within.
First and foremost this is a sketch show and perfectly combines the manically bizarre ideas which were so present in Nick's show during the comedy festival with the quieter, more contemplative whimsy of Jack's show.
At the top of the show we are made privy to the moment when Jack was inspected by the Chief of Comedy during a gig and was summarily fired from his chosen profession. Jobless and penniless, Jack must seek alternative employment with the help of the world's worst recruitment consultant, one Nicholas Simon Capper.
What follows is hilarious and very, very strange.
Through the use of some very silly costumes, voice over monologues, great characterisation and denim Capperjack keeps the laughs flowing for the full 50 minutes of its runtime.
Capper and Druce clearly have a good rapport on stage and the smoothness with which the sketches run through the show is testament to their professionalism as entertainers.
So, if you fancy an evening of weird musical numbers and a supporting cast of  talking eggs, car accoutrements, strangely neanderthal shop assistants and ostriches then this is the show for you.
Hilarious and very strange, Capperjack is on at the Imperial Hotel on the corner of Spring and Bourke in the CBD at 6pm until October 2nd.

Far From Grimm Tales

...And they all lived Happily Ever After.
Ever wondered what happened next? Did Red Riding Hood get on with her life or was the gruesome death of her Grandmother a life-changing experience? Did Snow White go on to live la vida loca after marrying her Prince? And what of the seven dwarves?
In her new show After Ever After, Rama Nicholas continues the stories of the Brothers Grimm some twenty years after they supposedly finished and reveals the fates and misfortunes of various characters so familiar from childhood.
Playing all of the characters herself, Nicholas inhabits a variety of guises from a kung-fu Red Riding Hood to a penitent Big Bad Wolf to all seven dwarves, bringing each to distinct and startling life.
The story has several threads to its plot with various characters headed toward a collision which will change the land of fairy tales forever and the audience were amused, amazed and touched all in the space of an hour.
This is a very polished and professional performance from Nicholas where she smoothly transitions between characters with ease and her costume changes are barely noticeable. Her vocal work throughout never once makes it ambiguous as to which character she is at any one time and this is no mean feat.
Showcasing her considerable acting skills, Nicholas presents a hypnotic show with an impeccable central performance which held the audience's attention throughout.
Highly recommended, After Ever After is on at the Portland Hotel until April 20th.

Nick Capper

Last night I took myself to the Forum on Flinders Street to see Nick Capper's show - Standing Room Only. I was running at a dash, so arrived at the venue hot and bothered and out of breath, but looking for comedy – and comedy was certainly delivered.

Performing in an upstairs room which seems to be a sauna with pews, Capper stands before his packed audience squinting into the stage lights, performing with a style veering from Steven Wright lugubrious torpor to the frantic passion of Billy Connolly.

Seldom cracking a smile and with his halo of tight curly hair, Capper delivers his material with a dry humour which is more slowburn than raucous laughter, which is not to say that there are not moments where the audience is laughing uproariously, just that the predominant reaction is of wry smiles and knowing chuckles.

This is mostly gentle, observational humour with surreal asides and the occasional impassioned rant. Capper quickly establishes a warm rapport with his audience and has already invited us all to become a gang, roaming the streets of Melbourne, within the first five minutes of the act. It is this sort of left-field humour which makes Capper so fresh and interesting and ensures that even though some gags may not quite hit the spot there are plenty which provoke gales of laughter in the room.

His best material comes when he is riffing off observations about the world around him - such as an impromptu Elvis impersonation - rather than some of the longer story segments, and his pitches for musicals and the kids show he has written are just plain bizarre.

If you’re looking for a show which is a bit out-there in its humour and where the gags really seem to come from nowhere to knock you for six with laughter, then this is for you.

With A Little Help From Her Friends

The Melbourne comedy scene is not short of female comics, fortunately, but many of them use a style of delivery which teeters between cute and ditsy and have never really engaged me. Similarly with male comics projecting an alpha-male, macho image.
Rose Callaghan, however, has arrived on the scene and is anything but ditsy. This comic takes to the stage like a fish to water, confidence just pouring from her.
She tells tales of frank honesty concerning her housemates who judge her slightly dissolute lifestyle; the perils of dating and her sexually adventurous mates. Her delivery style is punchier and more direct than many of her contemporaries which elicits hearty laughter from the audience rather than mildly amused chuckling and she has a great command of the stage. In style she has it all under control and manages a couple of call-backs which round-out her routines in a satisfying manner.
Rose's mates for the evening are Nick Capper and Tom Ballard, both excellent comics.
Nick is a hilarious and surreal comic with a dry wit and comic timing I haven't seen since Steven Wright. His slightly uncertain, slowburn delivery is a welcome change of pace in stand-up and he keeps the audience baffled and laughing with gags about albatross, his life growing-up on a farm and his Father's idea of a valuable life experience.
Tom Ballard will be familiar to many from radio and television and is clearly comfortable on stage, even when performing in front of an audience containing a few seasoned comics, a reviewer and a festival organiser. This was professional comedy, delivered in hilarious fashion, the audience laughing non-stop throughout the set which covered such diverse topics as male topiary, the efficient consumption of chips and a novel solution to the boats situation.
Rose Callaghan And Mates is at the Duke of Wellington Hotel on Flinders Street at 6pm and is a great way to start the evening by anyone's standards.

Chairman Of The Board Games

If you enjoy nothing more than a roll of the dice or facing someone as they ask you a random question from a card then you'll love the Late Night Board Game Slumber Party.

Hosted by Melbourne-based British comedian Neil Sinclair and featuring three different guest comedians each night it is a game nerd's dream comedy show.
The format is straightforward - three comedians compete against one another over the course of several different games played within the hour to get as many points as possible in order to win a prize for their team mascot in the audience.

Points are awarded and removed by Neil Sinclair on a seemingly arbitrary basis, but supposedly for giving the best answers or being the most skilled if the round is physical such as the non-copyright infringing game where contestants must remove blocks from a stack and replace them on top without toppling the stack.

This is a great way for anyone to end an evening with lots of interactive fun, cheeky humour and underhand competitiveness.

Late Night Board Game Slumber Party is on at the Games Laboratory on Little Lonsdale Street each Friday and Saturday night during MICF at 10:45pm until April 12th.

Skye High Limit

Back at the Tuxedo Cat, I was intrigued by Lisa-Skye's Lovely Tea Party - a late night combination of stand-up and chat show.
Last night her guests were Pajama Party themselves - Sarah Jones and Nicholas J. Johnson.
The show began with Skye welcoming us to her new show in characteristic flamboyance before she invited her guests onto the stage to give the audience a taste of what their show would bring.
This was very funny and gave a good taste of what to expect in their full show which I look forward to reviewing later in the festival.
Skye then asked her guests to pick categories from a board and would ask them questions on their fears, pet peeves and other topics
Skye is the perfect host for this style of irreverent show and if you're seeking something a bit different before you head home at the end of the night I heartily recommend seeing this.
Lisa-Skye's Lovely Tea Party is playing at the Tuxedo Cat on Wills Street in Melbourne at 10:45pm Thursday to Saturday and 9:45pm Sundays until April 20th.

Gentlemanly Misbehaviour

Do you like magic?
If you answered 'No' then we cannot be friends, I'm sorry. I love magic. Particularly the small-scale stuff. None of that making an elephant disappear or walking through the Eiffel Tower for me. I prefer my magic with a bit of personal interaction which is why I was delighted by the latest show from A Modern Deception, the incredibly talented trio of Alex De La Rambelje, Luke Hocking and Vyom Sharma.
Beginning with a mindblowing feat of prediction the astonished the packed audience with almost an hour of sleights, card tricks and other astonishing acts.
Audience members were invited to assist be supplying a shoe or a phone or simply their hand and there was joy to be had with each twist in the proceedings.
The presentation style of this trio is always warm and welcoming and there is never a hint of mockery so the audience know that they are in a safe space and can take part without fear of ridicule.
All due credit to their director Daniel Lammin who keeps the show pacy and tight.
A Modern Deception - Gentlemen Of Deceit is at The Spring Street Conference Centre, Melbourne CBD from 7:30pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings until April 19th.