Fringe Wrap: Fri Feb 25

Here we are, not even a week into the Fringe and already it's weighing us down. Or maybe that's just us being weighed down by all these reviews filling up our interspace on this 'ere website. Today you can find out what our reviewers thought of the lovely Lanie Lane, Guy Masterson's much-hyped play Shylock and just what the hell's going on inside that 'Niets Is Echt Moeilijk' box in the Garden Of Unearthly Delights.

Ross Daniels: The Transposed Man
CitySoul, Tue Feb 22
Funnyman Daniels’ (arguably?) one-man-show begins with a surprise (or shock, for some audience members) appearance of ‘Old Swampy’, a cheerful and friendly drunk obsessed with The Beatles, invisible attackers and sleeping on Port Rd, and proceeds into Daniels himself (or maybe not) splitting into a striking series of personalities: Shane Bourne performing Shakespeare (“Thrillseekers!”); an OMG-style teenager, like, praising a blogger’s blog about other blogs; a scary American military type proclaiming to the ‘fruits’ in the crowd that the moon landing was a major hoax and conspiracy with Adelaide-centric ramifications; and so on, all with real serious energy and admirable verve. With only an armchair, a stepladder and a teacup as props, Daniels keeps the ‘minimalist’ punters happy for a little over an hour - and, really, it’s hard not to be entertained by a comedian who’s having such an obviously great time himself.

Final Word: Fun.
Mad Dog Bradley

Ross Daniels: The Transposed Man continues at CitySoul until Thu Mar 3.

Adolf
Royalty Theatre, Fri Feb 18
As far as ambitious theatre goes, imitating the most evil man of the 20th century for over an hour is not something to be taken lightly, but Pip Utton delivers a fascinating, dynamic and idiosyncratically correct performance of the Führer's last moments in Berlin. The implied audience shifts almost imperceptibly between Hitler's personal pilot Hans Baur, a gathering of the remaining faithful, and, as Utton's voice raises and lights cast his enormous shadow over the banners behind him, the roaring crowds at Nuremberg. This diversity allows Utton the opportunity to paint a man conflicted, impassioned, destructive and eerily human at the same time. As he removes the Fuhrer's wig and jacket, the performance takes an unpredictable turn towards the discourse of a local pub or a cheap British stand-up joint. It's expertly tailored to the Adelaide audience and you can feel the air contracting as he moves towards a menacing finale.

Final Word: Ominous.
Joe Miller

Adolf continues at Royalty Theatre until Sun Feb 27.

Amazed: Nicholas Tweedy's Final Season
The Cavern Club, Sat Feb 19
Following an effusive introduction fit for Houdini, an unpretentious Nicholas Tweedy saunters onto the stage and begins to make polite conversation with the audience. He warms up with some trademark levitation, then moves into a perplexing sequence of mind-reading feats, deducing improbable messages and tracing street addresses seemingly at random from the phone-book. He's also intent on writing off obvious explanations, bringing roughly a third of the audience onto the stage throughout the show and capturing the whole process on a live camera stream. One drawback - part of the appeal in a performance like this rests on the potential to pick the act apart in uninterrupted detail, and poor visibility lines often made this impossible (the live camera stream wasn't quite up to the job). Get in early, find a front-row seat and scrutinise the man like a proper skeptic.

Final Word: Absorbing.
Joe Miller

Amazed: Nicholas Tweedy's Final Season continues at the Cavern Club until Sun Mar 13.

Adam Keily - Dotcomedy
Rhino Room, Fri Feb 18
There's a pallid, vampiric aspect to computer wit that can be ill-suited to sunlight, so it was pleasantly surprising to see Keily hold an audience aged from 10 to 70 years with such ease. Besides more obvious targets like Facebook casualties, tech support and the aged (a weirdly successful routine given the number of 60-year-olds in the room), Adam took his disarming style to the mildly riskier realms of vintage technology and the Old Testament. For fans of The IT Crowd there were some moments of déjà vu, but a healthy dose of Moses impersonations and premature ejaculation gags (mostly at Keily's own expense) gave Dotcomedy enough personality of its own.

Final Word: Buoyant.
Joe Miller

The Boy With Tape On His Face – More Tape
The Garden Of Unearthly Delights’ Bosco Theater, Tue Feb 22
Looking like someone who has escaped from a mental asylum, The Boy With Tape On His Face sits on the stage, eyes bulging with expression. If you have managed to catch him in the last few years he’s been coming to Fringe then you know what you’re in for, but for those who haven’t, you’re about to have your mind blown. Proving that actions speak louder than words and that the show must always go on, The Boy With Tape On His Face put on an hour of non-stop laughs on the day that his hometown of Christchurch was destroyed by a horrific earthquake. Dazzling the audience with new tricks, jokes and always leaving you guessing what is going to happen next and how people might react, The Boy With Tape On His Face is still as impressive as ever.  

Final Word: Brilliant.
Kate Mickan

The Boy With Tape On His Face performs More Tape at Bosco Theater until Sun Mar 13.

Dead Cat Bounce - Bootlegs
Gluttony, Mon Feb 21
Better known for their songs about mowing people down in cars (On The Road), facial hair (Every Time You Shave A Moustache Dies) and safe sex (Overenthusiastic Contraceptive Lady), Dead Cat Bounce take a more serious approach with their Bootlegs show.

If there was ever any doubt as to how clever and gifted these Irish lads were before, Bootlegs completely wipes it out. Dead Cat Bounce are no one trick ponies – there’s real talent behind their jokey façade. To be able to go from You Oughta Know (Alanis Morissette) to Sympathy For The Devil (The Rolling Stones) into Back In Black (AC/DC) in the space of a few minutes without missing a beat is nothing short of incredible. It’s like watching the Substitute and Samplemania sections of Spicks And Specks… on crack… with a live band.

With only two more nights left, get in quick to this music extravaganza hour and dance the night away.

Final Word: Rockin’!
Kate Mickan

Dead Cat Bounce perform Bootlegs at Gluttony on Mon Feb 28 and Mon Mar 7.

Nothing Is Really Difficult: Niets Is Echt Moeilijk
The Garden Of Unearthly Delights, Wed Feb 23
In that big wooden crate you can see as you enter The Garden, three men run around at a furious pace for less than the advertised time chasing laughs. And they don’t have much trouble getting them. Half the room in the crate is taken up by the audience (on a good night!), leaving very little space for these chaps to do their stuff. So they make creative use of every corner and crevice of the available room. Panels you thought were solid become entrances, including the ceiling. They even manage to find a toilet. A lot of slapstick, much of it quite original. Thankfully they do not need to rely on simply slapping each other about for laughs. There are no words spoken, but facial expressions add a poetical dimension to proceedings. There are strong performances from each of the clowns. Exhausting, but very enjoyable.

Final Word: Frenetic.
Adrian Miller

Nothing Is Really Difficult continues in The Garden Of Unearthly Delights until Sun Mar 13.

Alan Anderson – Whisky Fir Dummies
Bull & Bear, Tue Feb 22
A man in a skirt came to Adelaide, had his sporran confiscated and ended up on a stage dealing out shots of whisky for free. Yes, that’s whisky no ‘e’ - the Scottish leave the ‘e’ to their Irish neighbours. Whisky Fir Dummies doesn’t really have a structure, or a lot of pre-written jokes, but is a testament to Anderson as a comedian that he can draw from the crowd and put on a highly entertaining show. Rewarding participants with booze is always going to be a winner - drunk crowds are loud and humorous - and on this night the backpackers in the audience definitely helped. Making the reviewer dance on stage could have been his downfall, but I had suitable laughs under the belt to forgive. This show probably deserves more punters than its location is allowing, and at only $10 give it a spin.

Final Word: Free-booze.
Shane Scott

Whisky Fir Dummies continues at Bull & Bear until Sun Mar 13.

Dating, Daddydom And Delirium (The Best Things In Life Aren’t Free)
Butterfly House, Wed Feb 23
Luke Laughs, as well as doing stand-up, is on Melbourne breakfast radio so he has plenty of microphone and impromptu technique to bring to his comedy. And Luke’s version of comedy comes without the profanity, sacrilege and gutter talk that most Fringe comedy experiences will afford. Some of you are asking – does that leave anything thing to laugh at? Well according to his audience – yes; but be warned this show may not be for every Fringe-goer out there! Clean, family type humour with several biblical figures featuring in a positive light; this is comedy sponsored by Life-FM. So those of you wanting to be edified along with humoured, this is your show – get along and support the man!

Final Word: Edified.
Clayton Werner

Dating, Daddydom And Delirium continues at Butterfly House until Sat Feb 26.

The Fishbowl Boys
Austral Hotel – The Bunka, Tue Feb 22
These sharp looking talented young lads put on a fabulous barbershop a cappella show! Wonderful harmonies and great expression, they throw in fun and frivolity all the way. Originating from the early 20th century, barbershop is a style of a cappella - singing without instruments. The tenor, lead, baritone and bass harmonise to perform a mixture of songs ranging from Queen to classics such as Hello Mary Lou, Come Fly Away, Georgia On My Mind and a few unknowns, plus some great scatting in their rendition of Moondance. Thoroughly entertaining, they include some comedic performances for good measure. There was a touch of Britney in a version of Oops!... I Did It Again with a bit of cheeky M Jackson crotch grabbing thrown in. Proving their versatility they performed a surprising adaptation of Cruella De Vil from 101 Dalmatians. This award-winning quartet are a must see. Don’t forget to join the mailing list!

Final Word: Brilliant.
Terry Izatt & Karen Bailey

The Fishbowl Boys perform at Austral Hotel – The Bunka until Thu Mar 10.

@shakespeare.com
Bakehouse Theatre – Main Stage, Wed Feb 23
The idea was sound: explore what would have happened if tweet-hearts Romeo and Juliet had been able to text each other. And the opening night sell-out suggested an audience wanted to see some Tel-stra-crossed-lovers take-thee-to-a-punnery (sorry) kind of humour. But alas and alack, this was as incoherent as text-speak is to anyone but a teenager. With actors stumbling over words and stilted pauses between lines, it seemed rather under-rehearsed. Towards the end a message emerged, a warning to the kiddies to not reveal too much private information on Facebook. And important message aside, in the end I’m not sure even the ‘it’s-so-bad-its-good’ crowd would find something to like. There were some snippets of humour to make us twitter and some actors such as the blonde Juliet, like, totally did OK, but this needs a bit more work and better direction to not appear like a school panto.

Final Word: IRSTBO!
Carl Cranstone

@shakespeare.com continues at Bakehouse Theatre – Main Stage until Sat Feb 26.

Min Min
Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute, Wed Feb 23
The performance is set on the Murray River where the Ngarrindjeri people inspire and inform you of all the mysteries the river holds. This is a beautiful blend of the traditional and traditionally-inspired contemporary dance. Truly embracing and sharing community through song, dance, ritual and movement.

Infusing multimedia to share the ancient art of weaving; dancers weave each other through time and space. Through traditional costumes, ancient songs and rituals you partake in a magical experience. We learned of the Mulyewongk (bunyip) and the mysterious white light. A true cultural exchange!

The potential for this Kurruru is huge, as it is new and fresh and has plenty of room to grow. This is a display of young people collaborating with their community sharing ancient stories. They honour themselves and their ancestors through traditional dance and ceremony.

Final word: Raw.
Edel Perth & Kathryn Barclay

Min Min continues at Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute until Sun Feb 27.

The Disturbed Couples Hour!
CitySoul, Wed Feb 23
It’s a promising premise – two plays examining why people are together. Proceedings began confusingly: we spent the first five minutes wondering why two narcissists were dressed scruffily until we realised we were actually watching the second of the advertised double bill, The M Word, featuring a couple too lazy to split up. Carissa Lee and Rowan Elliott Hopkins gallantly tried to breathe life into an uninspiring script but could draw few laughs. Made For A Woman was instantly funnier, opening with the wonderfully deluded egotist Trent applying his Coles Smart Buy hair gel and covertly ordering the Extreme Buns Work-Out Machine while Carly, his petulant princess of a partner, becomes increasingly irritated at being overlooked. But just as some tension is building at last, the play ends with a premature climax. I’d like to see the players again but the plays themselves would have been best left an undisturbed couple.

Final Word: Mixed.
Jenny Roesler

The Disturbed Couples Hour! continues at CitySoul until Wed Mar 9.

The Max & Dagger Show
The Garden Of Unearthly Delights’ Campanile, Wed Feb 23
“I Tell You Wut!” the two US of A cowboys say, “this is going to be a lot of fun!” And they weren’t far off the mark either. Professional knife thrower Jack Dagger – a Fringe virgin – and professional knife dodger Cowboy Max – A Fringe veteran – serenade us with their silly ukulele tunes. Their apologies for everything that’s crap about America were welcomed: George W Bush, Justin Beiber (and his hair) and reality TV. Their R&B tune about bad gifts was pretty funny too, proving white men aren’t meant to rap!

Then begins the rope-spinning, whip-cracking and knife throwing; some just a little too close for comfort – think potential circumcision! There were lots of kids in this audience so I suspect the boys held back a bit, but on any other night I’d say the boys would have been far more spirited and cheeky. Nonetheless, it was all good fun! Yippie-kia-yay!

Final Word: Fearless.
Catherine Blanch

The Max & Dagger Show continues at The Campanile until Sun Mar 6.

So You Think You Can Get F#%ked Up
Worldsend Hotel, Wed Feb 23
Hold onto your seats ladies and gentleman. When host Robbie Butternob introduces the audience to the four finalists on the delightfully scary reality show send-up So You Think You Can Get F#%ked Up who knows where the night could take you. The four battle it out for the ultimate prize, which really just sounds like a nightmare, and ultimately is of no value. Seb Carboncini is hilarious not only as the host but the four finalists and is absolutely brilliant at changing from one character to the next. From Latino lover to drugged up bogan, Carboncini has every hand gesture, hip shake, pelvic thrust and try-hard dance move down to a T. Each finalist has their own “endearing” characteristics, some a little more intense and uncomforting than others, but always entertaining. I think I should warn you, if you feel the urge to sit in the front row, wear something spill proof.

Final word: Trash-tastic!
Sarah Mena

So You Think You Can Get F#%ked Up continues at Worldsend Hotel until Sat Mar 12.

Spankin’ New
Butterfly House, Wed Feb 23
Spankin’ New presents three undiscovered Adelaide cabaret performers: David Salter, Michelle Pearson and cute-as-a-button Lucy Russell. All are powerful singers and respectable actors, supported onstage by the charming pianist Daniel Brunner. Each performer confidently displays their poignant side (Cold Chisel’s Choirgirl and Still Hurting from The Last Five Years), but this cabaret stands out due to the hilarious combination of adorable comedy tunes. Excelling in this is David Salter, who has the audience ecstatic following Ireland, from Legally Blonde and Friends With Benefits. Salter is a quality actor and versatile performer who is right at home with these joyful numbers. Congratulations must go to Ceri Horner for ensuring these younger performers, all under 25 years, are given a platform to display their many talents. Although slow emotive ballads can have their place, I am appreciative of this performance ensuring audiences leave with a smile on their dial!

Final Word: Fun!
Bobby Goudie

Spankin’ New continues at the Butterfly House until Fri Mar 4.

Lanie Lane: Alone & Intimate in The Spiegeltent
The Garden of Unearthly Delights’ Spiegeltent, Wed Feb 24
A girl with a guitar called Betty; songs about love – well, sex then - and her guitar. It takes something special for a solo performer to wow an audience by playing songs that most have never heard before, but that is what Lanie Lane is. I’m looking forward to seeing her perform with her band and listening to her on CD and I have no doubt that there is a whole room full of ‘Spiegeltenters’ who feel the same way. Lanie has no airs, but with a grace all her own, a voice that has some lovely quirky qualities and with a lot of respect for her new audience, she has shown clearly and convincingly why industry insiders are expecting big things of her. I’d suggest you find the time to seek out Lanie and find out for yourself.

Final Word: Hoochie-Coochie.
Clayton Werner

Shylock
Royalty Theatre, Wed Feb 23
From the moment the lights dim and Guy Masterson commences, I am transported into the world of Shylock. Playing the role of Shylock’s friend Tubal, Masterson recounts the story of Shakespeare’s famous moneylender, one of literature’s most well-known Jews. Using The Merchant Of Venice as a springboard, Masterson takes the audience on a wide-ranging journey that considers Jewish characterisation in print and on stage throughout history, visiting the worlds of the Old Testament, Barabas (the Jew of Malta) and Count Dracula. The broader, and more important, issues of marginalisation and persecution of Jewish people are woven into the narrative, and applied with Masterson’s usual skill. This is, on surface level, a humorous piece, although the serious elements of the major themes are not overlooked. The balance is near-perfect.

Writer and Director Gareth Armstrong’s creation is inspired, and Masterson brings a great deal of energy and affability to the role.

Final Word: Thoughtful.
David Robinson

Shylock continues at Royalty Theatre until Sun Feb 27.

Mussolini - A One Man Political Farce
Higher Ground - Art Base, Wed Feb 23
Il Duce is in the house. Italian wartime supremo Benito Mussolini rants for an hour and, at the conclusion, the only thing of which we can be certain is that it’s not his fault. At least he doesn’t think so…

Ross Gurney-Randall brings a Mussolini to the stage that begs a little sympathy. The more heinous aspects of the fascist dictator’s time in power are mostly overlooked, and we are presented with a more human face. This is a bumbling, hesitant, defeated and, throughout the performance, comical personification of Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini that presents his side of the story. The important dot points of the inept leader’s life are woven together with some very funny monologues and amusing physicality.

Co-writer Dave Mounfield and director Paul Hodson have, in collaboration with Gurney-Randall, created an impressive characterisation that doffs its cap to history but remains its own, very worthy, entity. Bravo!

Final Word: Divertente!
David Robinson

Mussolini - A One Man Political Farce continues at Higher Ground - Art Base until Sun Mar 13.

Past Fringe Wraps

Thu Feb 24
Tue Feb 22
Mon Feb 21
Fri Feb 18
Mon Feb 14

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