The Famous Spiegeltent, Arts Centre Melbourne Forecourt until 18 April, 2015
Melbourne Comedy Festival
Reviewer: Kate Herbert
Stars: ***
Review also in Herald Sun online, Sun 29 March 2015. KH
If you think of Drivetime radio on 774 ABC, add
a panel interview format, two smart and witty hosts, a parade of
guests who either perform in the Comedy Festival, are obsessed with
the Fest, or buy tickets to the Fest, then you have Drivetime With Two
Leggy Redheads.
The titular Two Leggy Redheads are inimitable
political comedian, Rod Quantock, and the equally idiosyncratic Fiona
Scott Norman, who is a DJ, columnist and performer.
Their Drivetime vehicle veers out of control with
their first pair of guests, Miss Itchy, who devour all the cakes from Brunetti's
or do unspeakable things with them, but Quantock and Scott Norman eventually
wrest the steering wheel out of their hands and get back on the road
to entertaining interviews.
Miss Itchy try to do comic grotesquery but manage to
be mostly unpleasant and unfunny – apart from one comment from Miss Candy-Girl,
"If you want the Department of Human Services more involved in your
family, bring the kids along to our show." Pretty funny.
Our hosts are clearly more comfortable with Angie, the
comedy fan from the audience, and Angie's enthusiasm is infectious as she
explains her ardour for comic, Dave Callan, who she describes as a
disco-dancing Viking.
Nick Taros, makes Angie's attendance at six shows in
four days look skimpy when he describes seeing 147 shows during one festival, a
feat that won him the Funny Tonne event.
He explains that nothing is funny after seeing eight shows in a day and that going to kids' comedy shows wearing a trench coat and beard gets lethal looks from parents.
He explains that nothing is funny after seeing eight shows in a day and that going to kids' comedy shows wearing a trench coat and beard gets lethal looks from parents.
The speed and energy lift 20 points when experienced,
Canadian comic, Mike Wilmot, with his raddled looks and hoarse voice that
tell of years of red wine and smoky comedy clubs, takes a seat at the
panel table.
Wilmot riffs skilfully on topics including French Canadians and British royalty, getting big laughs from the audience.
Wilmot riffs skilfully on topics including French Canadians and British royalty, getting big laughs from the audience.
When Squeaky Clean Comedy pioneers, Eugene Wong and
Mike Klimczak, join Wilmot, the sparks fly as Wilmot wonders what weird stuff
clean comics are hiding at home. Think of Bill Cosby, he quips.
Bearded lady, Beau Heartbreaker, sings a sweet ballad
about being average and says she is a love child of Paul Kelly and Ned Kelly.
Drivetime has quirky advertising breaks including
Quantock's hilarious request letter asking BMW to donate a car as a prize for
the Comedy Trivia Quiz that ends the show.
There will be different guests each weekend, so get
along to Drivetime.
Reviewer: Kate Herbert
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