Must Sees & Should Avoids 2005

[hails]

no-one impressed me more than chris addison. i did damage to my body from laughing so hard. fucking ace. particularly good if you think democracy is a joke and the pope was a tosswit.

lawrence and andy were terribly cute too. nothing like a well-researched comedy show that features a slide-show, a phone call, a password and filthy stuff. mmm.

[LisanaTerel]

Lawrence and Andy were good, but I think I enjoyed their separate shows more. Although my society's aim to build an orphaned child still amuses me greatly.

Tim Minchin saved this festival for me. I saw a lot of stuff, but wasn't more-than-usually amused or impressed until I saw his show. Fucking Brilliance. The only complaint that I have is that I have so many of his songs in my head now, but only know the words to a few! It's supremely frustrating.

[Katch]

Top Five (in no particular order):
Lawrence Leung and Andy McClelland
Daniel Kitson's 'Stories for the Wobbly Hearted'
Charlie Pickering
Chris Addison
Damian Clark

Honourable Mentions (in no particular order):
Elbowskin
Justin Hamilton
Die on Your Feet
Ross Noble
Danny Bhoy
Super Happy Robot Hour
Danny McGinlay (with extra props because he and the venue staff were so accommodating when there was a stuff up on the night we were booked to go)
Michael Chamberlin
David Williams
Arj Barker
Maria Bamford
Also, feel free to edit this out, but Dave Bushell and Tommy Dassalo had a good show which showed a lot of potential.

Good, but over rated:
Tripod (only because I'd heard most of it)
GUD
Bill Bailey

Disappointing:
Dave Hughes (I don't really know why we went actually)

I wish I'd seen Tim Minchin, Josh Earl, Mike Wilmot, Demetri Martin, Jason Byrne... a lot of people. Stupid lack of funds and time. *Sigh* At least I got to see the latter three at Festival Club and/or Stagetime.

[BillyC]

circus_kid - I counted six shows in your top five... glad to see 3rd and IC were in there though

just got back from Paul's (one of the 3rdies (who just arrived back in sydney less than 12 hours go)) and he told me about Tim's award. Wow.

[circus_kid]

circus_kid - I counted six shows in your top five... glad to see 3rd and IC were in there though

I blame that on PFD. Post Festival Depression.

[Leishpod]

thanks circus_kid (for passing on the message, though he probably won't remember me) , you're a gem

I did *like* sunshine factory, I just didn't *love* it. It was hard to do my rankings because I honestly did not see a show that I didn't enjoy.

Typically, I said yesterday 'hazaah, i got through the festival without getting sick.' and later last night my throat started hurting and now I can hardly swallow. how craptastic

[circus_kid]

no worries! I'm sure even if he doesn't remember you in particular, he'll be glad to know you took the advice, and were HAPPY you took said advice!

BTW, love the Tim quote in your sig!

I'm working on lyrics for the encore song... just a few lines I'm missing... oh I want that song!!

[circus_kid]

How many others went to Wild Duck? (in particular on Saturday??)

Damn that show was great... so much fun!!
And one of only two shows to have me completly breathless and in tears from laughter!

[Kerron]

Hmmm. Didn't "find" any mind blowing standout act or see a knock em dead show this year. Not to say I didn't see fantastic shows.
My faves were :

Chris Addison - I love this guy. He is intellectual, haliarious and gets away with a lot because he looks so benign and fey. I recommended some colleagues go along to his show and they reported back that they had a problem with him calling the Pope a C***. I thought that was very cutting but funny but then I'm not religious. The thinking persons comedian!

Charlie Pickering - Best show I have seen him do. the CK trouser solution is genius and had me crying from laughter. I loved the way Charlie had a positive philosophy on being a better person underscoring his show. Felt very uplifted walking out. Go Guru Englebert.

Jackson's way - this was absurd and silly but such a interesting point to make on how so people get sucked in with trendy improvement programs. Can't believe how well he maintained the character and accent but boy does he sweat! Made an effort to try Jacksons way through some "litter exchange" bewteen Melb and Sydney. (swapping street press from Brunswick with Sydney street press in Newtown.) So ridiculous in its hilarity and I felt guilty but liberated doing the trade.

Wil Anderson - best show he has done in AGES. New material finally!

Ross Noble - not his best show but he is a master of the surreal impro. When he hits the high, you end up in stitches.

Danny Bhoy - charming naughtly little boy with an engaging grin that helps him get away with anything. You can't help but love him.

Andy and Lawrence - Secret Society.
Liked the Pirate show better but still very entertaining and informative show. Andy is is like a cool pompous nutty professor and he sings a mean version of "Unbelievable!"

Aside from this, I saw some excellent Festival shows, Laughapalooza, Stagetimes, Spinning Wheels etc. The night Jason Byrne was nutty and Phil Nichols went off was hilarious as was the first half of last Fridays Fest club when Daniel (not Danny) Kitson was firing.

heres an idea - put the Sister She festival Clubs on Fri nights and leave Sat nights for Scaredies superband. Superband always takes a few weeks to hit its stride and the first week was a real disappointment; all the more hard to swallow knowing there were just two nights.

Well, its over. At least i can have a reasonable nights sleep now and hold off filing for bankruptsy. Until next year...

[wild duck]

Originally Posted by circus_kid

How many others went to Wild Duck? (in particular on Saturday??)

Damn that show was great... so much fun!!
And one of only two shows to have me completly breathless and in tears from laughter!

Twas a lovely night, everytime i looked out off stage i could see kitsons wee little glasses glinting. About 5 minutes before we opened i was sure that we would have to pull the show, I dont know why but we had really small houses all through the festival. It was really frustrating considering that we got a special commendation for the critics choice award whihc should mean that the show was good and deserved good size houses?
fuck it i pondered that question too much. We had a ball doing it and both daniel and chris both loved the show.
acolades and the respect of you peers, pretty nice.
See you guys next year, but possibly under a different guise or tow, eh eh he

[BillyC]

Originally Posted by circus_kid

I'm working on lyrics for the encore song... just a few lines I'm missing... oh I want that song!!

You know where to send it when you're done

[JD3000]

Originally Posted by Leishpod

the dance off never happened

I beg to differ.
Whilst MCing at the Local on Monday, Dave told us that it happened on Sunday at the After-Party (So us punters missed out). Apparently it was a tie, so they are now both "Fuckhead McGinty".
Word has it that Danny McGinlay thought that the name was too similar to his!
Now they need to have another Dance Off to determine who is the real Fuckhead McGinty.

[unfrufru]

nwahaha that's funny.

just came back from maria bamford and chris addison at the opera house. maybe i've seen too much comedy this week but it was so so. not a lot of people got maria and chris kept getting sidetracked (like nearly 1/2 hour over sidetracked) but it was still amusing

[Gutter Monkey]

Originally Posted by JD3000

it happened on Sunday at the After-Party

They actually hired two Go-Go Dancing cages for the dance-off. Hairy Callan immediately climbed up on top of his cage when the music started (in true cage match fashion) and was in constant danger of tipping over and plunging off the stage. ASIO Callan wore a kilt to the dance off, which somehow disappeared about half way through. I laughed my ass off.

[sharleen]

yes, yes, it was quite the sight - the dance-off. 3 of the comfest staff desperately holding onto the cage making sure hairy dave wouldn't topple over. Very funny indeed. However, it was upstaged by the granny ballroom dancers earlier in the night. *sigh* 'twas a good night out which I didn't expect.