1. Lisa-Skye in Ladyboner

If the image of Lisa-Skye lying wide eyed on the pavement vomiting glitter isn’t enough to let you know this show has something special going on, perhaps the fact that she sold out her 2011 Melbourne Fringe Festival season of Ladyboner is? Something truly unique in a festival that can sometimes feel like a roll-call of stock standard stand-up. Check it out.

2. The Pajama Men – In the Middle of No One

This is a limited return of the 2011 sellout show for Barry Award winning duo The Pajama Men. If you, like us, missed seeing it last year catch one of the six return shows they are gracing us with in 2012.

3. Dave Gorman’s Powerpoint Presentation

It has been some time since we’ve been lucky enough to have Gorman here at festival time. If you’ve never seen him perform his magic, make sure you see this year’s show. This gentleman is the genius who kick-started so many of the modern storytelling style shows you see today, and he is pure joy to see on stage.

4. Rod Quantock’s Third Annual Mystery Comedy Walking Tour

This is the kind of experience every comedy junkie should try once. Join Quantock as he takes you on an unpredictable jaunt around the town, exploring some of the most interesting (and hilarious) sights Melbourne has to offer. The magic in this excursion comes from not knowing quite where the next turn will take you.

5. Ali McGregor’s Late-Nite Variety-Nite Night

There is no better way to end a hectic night at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival than heading down to The Famous Spiegeltent at Arts Centre Melbourne for a mix of cabaret, comedy, burlesque and undefined artforms of every kind. Ali McGregor crafts unforgettable lineups every Friday and Saturday night at 11.30pm, and you should really treat yourself to at least one night of this show.

Position Description: Melbourne International Comedy Festival Writers and Sub-editors

Accountable to: Editor and Editor-in-Chief of The Pun

Applications Close: 2 March 2011

Commitment: Available to review shows from 28 March – 22 April 2012

Job Description: Reviewing live comedy performances of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival or sub-editing contributions to The Pun

Passionate about reviewing live performance in an interesting and engaging way?  Become a part of Team Pun and contribute to the most comprehensive coverage of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival found anywhere.

Working for the editor, you will have the opportunity to review shows from local and international performers and have your work published online and in print.  You will also have the chance to write feature articles, interviews and other online content.  We are also on the lookout for talented sub-editors who have a keen eye for detail and an obsessive need for order.  Your writing and editing work may also appear in partner publications, subject to agreements with the editor.

In 2012 The Pun is presented in partnership with Express Media and the Buzzcuts program. We are actively seeking writers aged under 25 to join the team.

The Pun have a strong commitment to offering opportunities for all writers and editors, regardless of experience.  We strongly encourage unpublished writers to apply for this position.  Positions are awarded on the basis of merit, regardless of published portfolio.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Reviewing shows at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival
• Researching, writing and editing content for the The Pun
• Sub-editing and proofreading content for The Pun
• Actively contributing ideas and feedback throughout the editorial process

Required skills/knowledge

• Excellent English and writing skills
• A keen interest in further developing your skills as a writer and/or editor
• Thorough approach and attention to detail
• Familiarity with the internet and methods of online communication, especially email, online publications and blogging
• Desire and ability to “make things happen”

Remuneration

All positions are undertaken on a volunteer basis.

Location

This position is based in Melbourne. The successful applicants will be required to see shows in various locations, predominantly in the Melbourne CBD.  All writing and editing work is completed at applicants own location.  Submissions are accepted through our online content management resource.

What opportunities are provided?

• Introduction to editorial process
• Potential re-publishing of work by other media outlets (subject to agreement with the Editor)
• Access to editorial style guide, guidelines for reviewing and feedback on submissions
• Experience in use of online content management systems
• Further opportunities to write features, interviews and articles or to edit, sub-edit or proofread submissions

Application process

To apply for this position, please email a cover letter outlining your suitability and interest in the position, along with a CV and two examples of your work (published or unpublished) to lefa(AT)anewleaf.com.au. Please mark all subject lines “Application for The Pun 2012” and indicate if you are interested in writing, sub-editing or both. We will contact suitable applicants via email by  10 March. Applications close on 2 March. If you have any queries about this position, please address them to lefa(AT)anewleaf.com.au.

Let me say up front, I agree with almost everything he has to say.  Does this sound odd coming from someone who has been reviewing comedy for various publications for over ten years, and created her very own comedy review publication?  Possibly, on face value, it does.  The truth is, while I could take some of the more over-simplified comments in Hamilton’s article personally, the issues he raises are the very reasons I took my years of comedy experience and founded a publication dedicated to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.  Because like him, I felt that good, unbiased comedy reviews were appallingly absent in the media.

When The Pun began publishing in 2006 there were few publications (with sizeable readerships) reviewing MICF shows.  It was pretty much Beat, Inpress, The Age and the Herald Sun.  To get a review in either Beat or Inpress you had to pay for advertising.  To get a review in The Age or the Herald Sun you had to be luckier than a lottery-winner.

Having edited a student media publication for two years, I saw the situation from both a writer and editor’s perspective.  Newly instituted legislation (VSU) meant that university  newspapers and magazines were being cut back, resulting in fewer places for young writers to hone their craft.

So why not start a publication which aimed to review those shows who would never have otherwise gotten coverage of their festival show?  It would give the shows exposure, and it would offer an opportunity for writers to hone their craft.  I created The Pun, and we’ve published every year since bar one.  Some years in print (handing out the publication on the steps of the Melbourne Town Hall and at comedy festival venues all over the city) and every year online.

Hamilton argues that if reviewers aren’t practising their craft, they aren’t going to be good at it.  Just like comedians.  He’s right.  Just like comics need to hone their craft by performing over and over, so do writers.  To become a better writer, you need to practise your skills.  A comedian can only learn so much by performing in their bedroom to no audience, and writing for yourself will never teach you what writing for a publication (and going through an editing process) can.   So let’s extend that theory.  Just like an inexperienced comic performing his first few five-minute spots at a local comedy room might be proclaimed by some as wasting an audiences time (and entry fee) by learning what is funny or unfunny on the job, comedy reviewers need to roll their sleeves up and learn their craft, as Hamilton himself calls for, by doing it for real.

There are appropriate and inappropriate places to learn such skills.  When I misspelled a comic’s name in my first year reviewing for Beat, I was mortified.  I was later (rightly) taken to task by the comedian in question, who I apologised to profusely, and the incident has since become a point of playful ribbing between us.  I should have known better, and I learnt from the experience.  At that stage in my career I was not ready to publish my reviews in a larger arena, as the example clearly shows.  Which is why I was being published in a freely distributed street press, for which I was not paid.

This is also why The Pun has been a free publication, and has always informed readers that it is produced by volunteers, and written by a team of writers with varying levels of experiences.  That’s the place we fit in this comedy landscape.  As an editor and publisher, I’ve made mistakes.  I’ve published pieces I should have scrutinised more closely (positive and negative ones), or I’ve held back reviews that I should have published, regardless of the fact that people might have been upset by them.  I’ve learned along the way in these five years.

For example, The Pun has used a progressively smaller team each year in an effort to provide better guideance and feedback to our newer writers.   The first guidelines we provided to reviewers were laughably simplistic.  Since then, our guidelines have become more detailed and my own instinct for whether a review is balanced, fair or off-base has gotten better.  Having said that, I don’t read every review we publish before it goes live on our website, either.  Many years (as is the case this year), I hand over the reigns to an editor who is also learning their craft.

We keep trying to do it better, and to progress with technology and audiences.  However it is safe to say that just as readers have different expectations of their university student paper and the daily broadsheet published in their town, our audience understand (and appreciate) that The Pun are not the Herald Sun, official media partner of this year’s MICF.

For the Herald Sun to take on board a rag-tag team of reviewers and then claim it’s in order to gain greater festival coverage is a complete cop-out.  I can attest to the huge team of writers who have cut their teeth in this publication, none of whom were approached to write for the Herald Sun.  Melbourne has a huge range of freelance writers, many of them experienced comedy reviewers, and I don’t see their names in that list of contributors.

The most cursory research would have turned up writers infinitely more suitable to expand their team than a photographer or the last-minute fill in of one writer’s wife (I’m hoping this turns out to be nothing more than a rumor, but I doubt it).  Hamilton is right to point out that this is disrespectful, not just to the comic in question, but to the audience of the publication, too.

To add insult to injury, the Herald Sun are also employing a star rating system.  When you have a team that varies in levels of experiences, and has no real common agreement on what they are comparing, it would be grossly unfair to ignore the fact that one person’s three star show is another person’s one star show.  Star ratings only work if their is a common language to them.  I understand what judgement has been passed when I see a one star rating in The Age.  I’m familiar with their team.  I know what their expectations are.  I also know which of their reviewers my own personal tastest are closest aligned with.  Much like a movie that irritates David but amuses Margaret, I know a show which irks Helen Razer but entertains Richard Watts is likely to be one I’ll personally enjoy.

The Herald Sun‘s decision to use a star rating system is beyond misguided, it is irresponsible.  Knowing, as they have publicly bleated, that many of the staff had never reviewed comedy before, or were “learning their craft”, they should never have expected that their team would be able to use the stars to offer a comparison of apples with apples.  And let’s revisit this idea of using staff who you later claim were “learning their craft”.  Is that what one of the two largest daily publications in Melbourne is really all about?  Do you let the work experience kids write the headlines?  No.  Fracking.  Way.

But while Hamilton’s piece is entitled “Endangered Species: The Reviewer”, I think his call for better reviewers is the more important issue.  If you can find hundreds of conflicting, unexplained opinions online at the touch of a button, it means even more when you can find a review which succinctly sums up the vibe of a show, offering a glimpse into its dynamic and giving you an indication on whether its your particular cup of tea.

Hamilton is right to point out that the game has changed.  A review is only ever one person’s opinion, and in a web 2.0 environment, opinions are a dime a dozen.  The intangible “buzz” and groundswell of audience opinions that happens around festival shows is important.  The Pun has embraced punter’s opinions by publishing SMS reviews sent to us by audience members and by allowing comments on all online reviews (long before sites such as The Age and the Herald Sun allowed reader feedback online), encouraging readers to challenge the writer’s opinion and add their own perspective.  We embraced Twitter many years ago, and frequently retweet various people’s opinions of shows to our 1,000+ followers.  Capturing and participating in that community aspect of the festival is vital to our publication, but it’s only part of the picture.  The fact that our readership has grown to over 8,000 email subscribers and over 1,500 visitors a day to the website during festival season is testament to the fact that audiences still want to read indepth reviews over 140 characters long.

So is it the case that comedy reviewers just don’t get it?  That they are ill-informed, poorly-trained and just one person with a subjective opinion?  In many cases, yes.  But that doesn’t mean reviewing is dead, just that we need to get better at it, and demand a higher level of critique from “reputable” media outlets.  So expect to see The Pun returning next year, with more writers honing their skills and learning their craft.

Don’t know Ben Pobjie?  Perhaps you know him better as @BenPobjie or that-guy-who-writes-about-television-for-The-Age.  Maybe you’re more familiar with his brand of biting satire at New Matilda?  With a massive twitter following and a proven track record as a comedic writer, we’re really looking forward to Pobjie’s first MICF appearance.  Recent reports from his performance of the show in Canberra hint that he might be as funny on the stage as the page.

Mia Stanford – Unclassifiable

Winner Deadly Funny 2007 Melbourne Comedy Festival
Winner Fringe Festival Outstanding Achievement Award 2010
Winner Aunty Eleanor Harding Emerging Talent Award 2010

With only five shows at MICF this year, you’d be well advised to get along and see Mia Stanford.  Her show is a collection of personal stories taking place from Darwin to Melbourne and every place in between.  She describes herself as “one of a new generation of comedians who give a shit and are socially responsible”.  Sounds good to us.

Andrew McClelland – Truth Be Told

Highly commended at the Melbourne Fringe Awards last year, McClelland comes to MICF with a polished show first seen in Melbourne during Fringe Festival 2010, which led one reviewer to describe the show as “well-crafted material, cleverly structured and delivered with a boyish charm and suave confidence”.  His previous shows have covered topics from pirates to secret societies, where he has proved he can tell a tale about anything and have audiences in the palm of his hand.  Expect this to be selling out by the end of the run.

Zack Adams – Love Songs For Future Girl

After catching a five minute spot Adams performed earlier this year, we are super keen to see a full hour-long show from him.  Singing and telling tales of  his “dumped, depressed and slightly drunk” life as he searches for The One, Adams has taken this show all over Australia and received praise at every stop.

The Comedy Zone

The Comedy Zone is a show of young-gun comics hand-picked by the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.  Every year they select the ladies and gents you should be seeing before they hit the big time.  This year’s crop features Jennifer Wong (NSW), Daniel Connell (ACT), Luke Heggie(NSW), Henry Stone (QLD) and Ronny Chieng (VIC). With special appearance by YouTube sensation Jaydos.  The alumni from previous years includes Tom Ballard, Lawrence Leung, Claire Hooper, Josh Thomas, Hannah Gadsby, Sammy J and Celia Pacquola, which proves that this show always brings outstanding talent.  It’s always on The Pun‘s must see list.

• The Hermitude of Angus, Ecstatic

If reviewers in Adelaide were insisting this show was “a must see this Fringe”, and this is the list of awards it has been awarded:

Winner Best Comedy, Melbourne Fringe Festival 2010
Winner Brisbane Powerhouse Comedy Award 2010
Winner Best Comedy Performance, Auckland Fringe Festival 2011
Nominated Edinburgh Underbelly Award 2011
Nominated Best Emerging Comedy, Adelaide Fringe Festival 2011

You know there’s something special going on.  Safe to say this is one to add to your list.

• All Pervading Madness, Diane Spencer

This one is certainly coming our way, and with reviews describing her shows in Adelaide as “Witty, wordy and intelligently armed with hilariously challenging stories” it seems like this could be a good bet.

• Anne Edmonds: Ever Since The Dawn of Anne

Last year we loved Edmonds’ MICF show, for which she also bagged a highly commended award at Melbourne Fringe Festival.  Clearly she’s bringing another fantastic one if reports from Adelaide are accurate.

• Fiona O’Loughlin’s Greatest Hits

You can hardly go wrong with any show O’Loughlin offers, but once you consider her greatest hits?  Not to be missed.  Adelaide loved this show and it’s pretty clear Melbourne will also lap it up.

• Ross Daniels- The Transposed Man

Described as a “fast paced and hilarious hour” of comedy, it’s hardly surprising that audiences are impressed with Daniels’ latest show.  He is well known for his outstanding improvisational comedy, and this show puts those talents to excellent use.

• Sam Simmons and The Precise History Of Things, Token Events

This show as received critical acclaim pretty much everywhere you can receive critical acclaim.  An Adelaide review described this show as “a delightfully off-kilter surrealistic romp”.  That about sums it up.

• Tom Binns – Ivan Brackenbury’s Hospital Radio Roadshow

While not bringing this precise show to Melbourne, it seems like we’re getting a good deal.  Binns is combining his two award-winning characters  into one show.  Reviewers found his characters “beguiling and wickedly funny”.

Internationals
Yeah, yeah, we know you want to catch a big name or two. So how about free tickets to Eddie Ifft or Arj Barker? Greg Proops? Stephen K Amos? Bulmers Best of the Edinburgh Festival? How about the legendary Roy Chubby Brown? We’ve got ‘em all. Just remember, entering for these big shows doesn’t mean you can’t also enter for local shows, too.

Most excellent and highly recommended Australians
Come on, get all patriotic and shit. See an Aussie! You can’t beat Melinda Buttle, Felicity Ward, Josh Earl, Jaymie Wilson and Geraldine Quinn. Free tickets to these shows are impossible to refuse.

Some music with your laughs?
We’re looking forward to Zach Adams: Love Songs for Future Girl, personally. You also can’t go past Ali McGregor’s Late-Nite Variety-Nite, it’s a standout show every year. Anyone for Tennis? are offering Prepared to be Tuned (who can say no to those guys) or young fella Dave Warneke with The Dave Warneke Semi Musical Adventure. If those don’t get you excited, there’s always Sammy J and Randy, music and a puppet… bonus! There are tickets for every single one of these shows available to win in the giveaway.

Deep Shows
Want to impress someone by taking them to a show that will make you appear interested in laughing, but only in that knowing, smart way? Try Asher Treleaven in Matadoor (that esoteric stuff always wins big on the deep scale). Or Fear of a Brown Planet Attacks. Politics is as deep as it gets! Poet Laureate Telia Nevile’s For Whom The Bell Tolls has to be smart. It’s poetry and words and stuff. And your guest never need know you scored those tickets for free.

Something without standup
On overload with all these funny people saying funny things into microphones? Check out Spontaneous Broadway for impro that never disappoints. Pip Comic Illusionist is back this year with Hypnolarious. Drags Aloud at the Movies promises to be a popular choice. Or for a show with a touch of everything, try Trent McCarthy is Dr Game Show. Or what about Happy Yoga for something completely different? Last but certainly not least there’s the Scared Weird Little Guys in their final show together… ever. By the end of the season they will be selling out, but for now you can win tickets to their show free!

So get over to the WIN page and enter for as many as you like. Starting your festival off with an awesome free show is the best way, we think.

Lindsay Webb – Pundamonium

Ah, a show after our own heart!  Pundamonium, Lindsay Webb’s festival offering has to take our number one spot, what with being a pun using the word pun.  We can’t ask for anything more.

Cal Wilson – The Great Intender

Now here’s a pun with legs.  Wilson’s show is all about her great intentions and she’s found a pun to fit the bill.  Which makes us hum the title every time we read it.  Top Pun marks for this one.

Darren Freak – Freakuent Flyer

As a former writer for this very publication, it’s good to see Darren Freak has taken his lessons at The Pun seriously, using his own name to create a pun title for his 2011 show, Freakuent Flyer.  Excellent choice for a show all about his travels far and wide.

Toby Halligan – Electile Dysfunction

Toby Halligan brings us Electile Dysfunction, which is a great pun for a show all about the state of Australian politics.  We can think of no better description of the mess our political landscape is currently in.

Wil Anderson – Man vs. Wil

Rounding out our Top Five in his usual pun title style is, as always, Wil Anderson.  Just when you think Anderson must have used every pun possible, he emerges with a show title that isn’t just a pun, it’s a take on one of the most often-discussed television shows of the past year.

Got any other stand out pun titles for this year?

If you’re looking for a taste of what will be on offer come April, why not kill two birds with one stone?  Enjoy some comedy and support a great cause at the same time.  Try these two gigs on for size.

Sunday 23 January:  Evapor-aid

Raising much needed money for the victims of Queensland and Victorian floods, this night is bound to be amazing.  Check out this lineup…

Featuring TOM GLEESON (7pm Project) ADAM HILLS (In Gordon Street Tonight) LEHMO (Before the Game) DAVE THORNTON (Talkin’ About Your Generation, 7pm Project) DAN ILIC (Hungry Beast) FELICITY WARD (Thank God You’re Here) LAWRENCE MOONEY (City Homicide) MICHAEL CHAMBERLIN (The Mansion, SkitHOUSE) KATE MCLENNAN (Ben Elton Live) DAVE BUSHELL (Room 303) TOMMY DASSALO (The Little Dum Dum Club) DANNY MCGINLAY (Race Relations) MELBOURNE IMPROV ALL STARS (Thank God You’re Here) XAVIER MICHELIDES (Rove) KARL CHANDLER (The Little Dum Dum Club) MATT KENEALLY (The Punch) ANYONE FOR TENNIS?, THE LIST OPERATORS (Barry Award Nominated) GERALDINE HICKEY (Get This) JOSH THOMAS (Talkin’ About Your Generation) and other special guests.

Tickets and more details here on the Corner Hotel’s website.

Monday 31 January: Tiny Dancer

Julia Zemiro (Rockwiz, Eurovision) hosts a celebration concert for one “Tiny Dancer”, Cleo Patterson, and the Kids Plus Foundation, raising funds to support children and families living with Cerebral Palsy.

Spensers Live in West Melbourne has generously offered its space for the cabaret-style performance, with an exciting who’s who in the Victorian music industry – with an extra-special performance by the hugely successful comedy act , Tripod.

Cleo is the daughter of Helen and Andrew Patterson, and at four years old, she just wants to be like all the other kids her age. Cleo loves to dance and sing, just like her mum and dad. But most of all, she would love to able to ride a bike with her brothers and sister..

Because of Cleo’s Cerebral Palsy, she requires a custom built specialty bike, and the concert aims to give her this gift, with additional proceeds going to the Kids Plus Foundation.  Kids Plus Foundation is a not for profit organization that provides an intensive paediatric therapy program and an informal support network for families living in Victoria.

Kids Plus Foundation does not receive any government funding, and relies solely on the generous support of the community to provide their services, which are offered at no cost to families.

Joining Tripod and Julia on stage, with the backing of live band Funk Force Five, will be an outstanding lineup including Melissa Langton, Bumbellini, Karlis and Mark from “The Beautiful Losers”, Andrew Patterson, Helen Patterson, Yana Alana, Lliam Amor, John Flanagan & The Begin-Agains, Jason Geary (as Tom Waits), The Glee Club, Matt Heyward, Jacqui Hoy, Gareth Millar, Vicki Pappas, Peter Thornley  “The Banded Sounds” and Laura Tipoki

Tickets and more details at Moshtix’s website.

Saturday 12 February: Short and Girly

One-night-only gigglefest for a good cause Short & Girly is back for a third time in 2011, with a roll-call of Australiaʼs finest and funniest lady comics donating their time and talent to support the Victorian AIDS Council.

Hostess with dimples to die for Ms Julia Zemiro (Rockwiz) will MC a stellar lineup of Aussie comediennes including Fiona O’Loughlin, (Good News Week), Cal Wilson (Thank God Youʼre Here), Denise Scott (Spicks & Specks), Kate McLennan (Barry-nominated The Debutante Diaries) Rachel Berger (ABC 774, GMA), Geraldine Quinn (Shut Up and Sing), Geraldine Hickey (Triple M, Stand Up Australia) and Zara Swindells-Grose (Sea FM, 92.9 Perth), with proceeds from the all-girl gala going to a very worthy cause.

Produced by Janet A. McLeod (Cinema Fiasco, Miss(you)Melbourne), Short & Girly is a fundraising event for the Victorian AIDS Council who work tirelessly to reduce the transmission of HIV in our community and to preserve the independence, dignity and health of people living with HIV/AIDS. This fundraiser will help them continue to provide these crucial services.

Tickets via Ticketek and more information here.

You can keep up with the breaking news and upcoming festival information twenty-four-seven.  Go on, you know you want to!  Just follow www.twitter.com/MICF

In 2011 the festival will run from Wednesday 30th March to Sunday 24 April.  We can hardly wait.  Luckily for us, there is plenty to start obsessing over.  Tickets for some shows are already on sale.  Yes, you heard us, you can start planning your festival as of now.  Shows from Alan Brough (and aren’t we pumped to see him return with a solo show!) to Xavier Michelides are available for you to purchase.  Then of course, there’s always the bigger events on sale.  If you’re planning to head to the Opening Night Comedy Allstars Supershow, Upfront or the like, you had best be getting in quickly.  The Gala has, predictably, already sold out.

Not to mention things are already heating up for the Raw comedy competition.  Ever thought of getting behind the microphone?  It’s not too late to register to compete.

Meanwhile, make sure you keep up with the latest news here at The Pun.

As always we strongly recommend that you don’t just see comedy during the festival.  Australia (and Melbourne in particular) is blessed with an outstanding comedy scene.  Get out there and see as much as you can!  There are regular comedy nights to be found almost any night of the week.

For those of you who just can’t satisfy that comedy bug we highly recommend checking in on our friends at Gagging For It.  They’ll keep you in the loop on gigs all over Australia, as well as tasty tidbits of news and gossip all year round.  Also, don’t forget to check out when the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow may be heading to a venue near you.

Image Credit: v1ctory_1s_m1ne

So here they are, in no particular order!  Browse away, click on the show title to see more information about the show on offer and email to win.

TRIPOD VERSUS THE DRAGON

Tickets available for Sunday 28 March

GERALDINE HICKEY – HAMMER AND TONG

Tickets available for Saturday 27 March, Sunday 28 March

MICHAEL CHAMBERLIN – KEEP YOURSELF NICE

Tickets available for Sunday 28 March

JEFF GREEN – CRAZY FROM THE HEAT

Tickets available for Sunday 28 March, Monday 29 March

GERALDINE QUINN – SHUT UP AND SING

Tickets available for Saturday 27 March, Sunday 28 March, Tuesday 30 March, Wednesday 31 March

CIRCUS TRICK TEASE

Tickets available for Wednesday 31 March, Wednesday 7 April

AKMAL – IT’S NOT MY FAULT

Tickets available for Saturday 27 March, Sunday 28 March, Wednesday 31 March

ASHER TRELEAVEN – SECRET DOOR

Tickets available for Sunday 28 March, Friday 2 April, Saturday 3 April

JASON PESTELL JUMPS THE SHARK

Tickets available for Saturday 27 March, Sunday 28 March, Tuesday 30 March, Wednesday 31 March, Thursday 1 April

VIGILANTELOPE PRESENTS PROPHECY OF THE QUANTUM CHILD

Tickets available for Saturday 27 March, Sunday 28 March

FEAR OF A BROWN PLANET RETURNS

Tickets available for Wednesday 31 March

SPONTANEOUS BROADWAY

Tickets available for Wednesday 7 April

ROD QUANTOCK – THE PEOPLE WE SHOULD EAT FIRST (AND HOW TO COOK THEM)

Tickets available for Wednesday 31 March

ANDY & ADRIAN – RADIO HUSBANDS

Tickets available for Saturday 27 March

LUKE & WYATT: STACKS ON

Tickets available for Tuesday 30 March

SANDERSON JONES – ANOTHER HEARTBREAKING YET ULTIMATELY LIFE AFFIRMING SHOW ABOUT DEATH

Tickets available for the duration of the festival

TOM BALLARD – COGITO ERGO SOME FUNNY

Tickets available for Sunday 4 April

HANNAH GADSBY – THE CLIFF YOUNG SHUFFLE

Tickets available for Wednesday 31 March

MARK TRENWITH – FUN

Tickets available for Saturday 27 March, Sunday 28 March, Monday 30 March

THE KRANSKY SISTERS – THREE BAGS FULL

Tickets available for Saturday 27 March

HALLEY METCALFE – FIVE STARS

Tickets available for Saturday 27 March, Wednesday 31 March

THE AXIS OF AWESOME – INFINITY ROCK EXPLOSION

Tickets available for Sunday 28 March, Tuesday 30 March, Wednesday 31 March, Thursday 1 April

CATH STYLES IN LOVE AND MARRIAGE

Tickets available for Saturday 27 March, Sunday 28 March, Tuesday 30 March, Wednesday 31 March

THE SHAMBLES – LIVE AT A BALLROOM

Tickets available for Thursday 8 April

KARL CHANDLER IS 100 JOKES PER HOUR

Tickets available for Saturday 27 March, Sunday 28 March

ALL IN THE SAME BOAT: A SHIP LOAD OF LAUGHS

Tickets available for Saturday 27 March, Tuesday 30 March, Wednesday 31 March

COLOUR IN STEREO

Tickets available for Saturday 27 March

STEVE HUGHES – HEAVY METAL COMEDY

Tickets available for Sunday 28 March

DAVE THORNTON – A DIFFERENT KIND OF NORMAL

Tickets available for Wednesday 31 March

BULMER’S BEST OF THE EDINBURGH FESTIVAL

Tickets available for Sunday 28 March, Wednesday 31 March, Thursday 1 April

TOM GLEESON – GET IT INTO YA

Tickets available for Sunday 28 March

THE CONCERT BY THE BUSINESS

Tickets available for Sunday 28 March

EUROPEAN MAN 1

Tickets available for Tuesday 6 April, Wednesday 7 April, Thursday 8 April

SUPERMANCHILD

Tickets available for Thursday 1 April, Friday 2 April, Saturday 3 April

DYLAN COLE – I’M NOT HERE

Tickets available for Thursday 1 April, Friday 2 April

KARIN MUIZNIEKS – FIRST AGAINST THE WALL

Tickets available for Tuesday 6 April, Wednesday 7 April, Thursday 8 April, Sunday 11 April

PEDRO TOCHAS – THE SCULPTOR CLOWN

Tickets available for Saturday 27 March

DAVID SMIEDT – INTRODUCING DAVID SMIEDT

Tickets available for Saturday 27 March

DIE ROTEN PUNKTE – KUNST ROCK

Tickets available for Thursday 8 April

WILSON DIXON’S AMERICAN DREAM

Tickets available for Saturday 27 March

DEAD CAT BOUNCE

Tickets available for Saturday 27 March

RUSSELL MCGILTON – ACCIDENTS ARE PROHIBITED ON THIS ROAD

Tickets available for Sunday 28 March, Monday 29 March, Tuesday 30 March, Wednesday 31 March

GORDON SOUTHERN – BORDERS

Tickets available for Sunday 28 March, Wednesday 31 March, Thursday 1 April

BIG FAT LOSER

Tickets available for Sunday 4 April, Monday 5 April

MARCEL LUCONT – SEXUAL METRO

Tickets available for Tuesday 30 March

THE UNCANNY X-GEN

Tickets available for Tuesday 6 April, Wednesday 7 April

JARRED KEANE – THE SECOND COMING

Tickets available for Tuesday 6 April, Wednesday 7 April, Thursday 8 April, Friday 9 April

POET LAUREATE TELIA NEVILE PRESENTS WHILE I’M AWAY

Tickets available for Tuesday 6 April, Wednesday 7 April, Thursday 8 April

KELLY FASTUCA – TAKE ME OUT TO THE LOGIES

Tickets available for Tuesday 6 April, Wednesday 7 April, Thursday 8 April

SPAG AND DRAG (show only)

Tickets available for Wednesday 31 March, Saturday 30 April and Wednesday 7 April

THE LOST RUNG – MAKING FRIENDS

Tickets available for Wednesday 31 March, Thursday 1 April

LORRAINE’S HAIR & FACE

Tickets available for Saturday 27 March

FOUR MINUTE WARNING

Tickets available for Saturday 27 March, Sunday 28 March

PUPPY FIGHT SOCIAL CLUB

Tickets available for Friday 2 April

MEMOIRS OF A HUMAN CANNONBALL

Tickets available for Saturday 27 March

ADAM VINCENT – VITAL SIGNS

Tickets available for Saturday 27 March

DEANNE SMITH: BALLSY

Tickets available for Monday 29 March, Monday 5 April

GOOKS & WOGS 2: THE RETURN OF THE CHOCO AND THE CHINK

Tickets available for Sunday 4 April

AND NOW, HERE’S YOUR HOST… TRENT MCCARTHY (WITH SPECIAL GUEST AJAK KWAI)

Tickets available for Thursday 1 April, Friday 2 April, Saturday 3 April

RODNEY.  MISSING.

Tickets available for Sunday 28 March, Friday 2 April, Saturday 3 April

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 JOKES FEATURING SAM MCCOOL

Tickets available for Friday 2 April, Saturday 3 April

80’S FLASH DAN’S ABOVE GROUND POOL PARTY

Tickets available for Thursday 1 April

RAYMOND CROWE

Tickets available for Saturday 27 March, Sunday 28 March

STEVL SHEFN AND HIS TRANSLATOR FATIMA

Tickets available for Saturday 27 March, Sunday 28 March

MARK PENCAK – MONSTERS IN MY WARDROBE

Tickets available for Saturday 27 March, Sunday 28 March

THE ULTIMATE BOARD GAME – UNSCRIPTED

Tickets available for Friday 2 April, Saturday 3 April, Sunday 4 April

DOS OR DUO

Tickets available for Tuesday 6 April, Wednesday 7 April

THE LEMON-LIME TIME MISCELLANY HOUR LIVE WHY NOT WITH RYAN WITHERS

Tickets available for Sunday 28 March, Monday 29 March, Tuesday 30 March, Wednesday 31 March, Thursday 1 April

THE POLAR BEARINGS – SONGS IN THE SEA, MAJOR?

Tickets available for Tuesday 30 March, Wednesday 31 March, Tuesday 6 April, Wednesday 7 April

ALZHEIMER’S THE MUSICAL – A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

Tickets available for Saturday 27 March, Sunday 28 March, Wednesday 31 March Thursday 1 April

TWO AND A HALF MICKS

Tickets available for Sunday 28 March, Tuesday 30 March

PRETENDING THINGS ARE A COCK

Tickets available for the duration of the festival

TOMMY LITTLE’S BRAINTHOUGHTS

Tickets available for Wednesday 31 March

TADARIA STUDIO – SERENADE

Tickets available for the duration of the festival

BARNESY FOR PRESIDENT

Tickets available for Saturday 27 March, Sunday 28 March

A NIFTY HISTORY OF EVIL WITH JOHN ROBERTSON

Tickets available for Tuesday 6 April, Wednesday 7 April

DONNA & DAMO – AN ASEXUAL LOVE STORY

Tickets available for Saturday 27 March

LINDA CATALANO IS SHOPPER

Tickets available for Sunday 28 March

The Pun cannot be held responsible for the tickets to these performances.  Tickets are provided at the discretion of the individual shows as listed, and winners will be notified directly by them.  Entry to the draw is subject to joining The Pun’s e-list.  Please view our subscribe page to see terms and conditions.

Rod Quantock – In the Beginning

Fancy a walk down memory lane?  You can, quite literally, do just this with Mr Quantock this year as he strolls through Melbourne’s streets visiting the historical sites and stories of comedy in our hometown.

Melbourne Museum Comedy Tour

Ben McKenzie has done us all a favour, bringing back one of last year’s sell-out comedy offerings for another year.  If you like your comedy with a smidge of “I never knew that!”, this tour will satisfy.  With comics such as Andy Muirhead and DeAnne Smith on offer, we highly recommend booking early for this one.

The Powder Room Podcast

Desperate to fit more comedy in your day?  Em O’Loughlin and Wendy Little are pleased to provide the convenience of listen-at-your-leisure podcast comedy.  New episodes are available every Friday, all you need to do is subscribe for free via iTunes.

Circus Trick Tease

If being twice nominated for people’s choice awards is anything to go by, this blend of circus and comedy is doing something very right.

Celebrity Theatresports

Every year this fast-paced bundle of fun takes over the festival for one night only, providing unscripted and unprepared comedy.  The show where impro maestros take on celebrity guests in a comedy battle royale.

And the sneaky extra we just couldn’t resist…

The Ultimate Board Game – Unscripted

After some notable evenings with their previous MICF offering, Scrabble Unscripted, the Impro Australia team return this year to tackle every board game ever made.  Personally, we can’t wait to see their take on Hungry Hungry Hippos.

A man after our own heart, Tim Vine prides himself on keeping the art of the pun alive. Not just a pun-tastic title, this show promises (or threatens) to offer the most puns-per-show ratio of the festival.

Wil Anderson: Wilful Misconduct

Ever year we open the festival guide to see what truly terrible name-based pun Anderson has gone with this time around. Not one to disappoint, this year it is Wilful Misconduct.

Dean Arcuri – To Sir with Glove ?!

What else would you call a show about fetishism? Enough said.

Peter Berner in Binge Thinker

Yup, now that’s a title we can get behind. Pure pun.

The Polar Bearings – Songs in the Sea, Major?

Not content with a pun title, this duo have actually given themselves a pun name. And the two puns compliment each other. Solid gold.

Keep Your Skirt On

Yes, yes, we’re biased.  We awarded the inaugural Keep Your Skirt On show of 2009 our Professional Development Award.  Their first year was a veritable treasure-trove of talented women, and it’s shaping up to be just as impressive this year.  A fine way to kick off your festival (and check out some short sets that will help you decide whose full show you should spend your hard earned cash on later in the month), Keep Your Skirt On features a stellar line-up of ladies to make you laugh.  The perfect teaser, you can expect an hour and a half of great comedy for only $20.

Sarah Millican

Between her poster, featuring Millican as feminist icon Rosie the riviter, and her 2009 Barry Award Nominee status, this is a show we just had to include in our Top 5.  Returning to the festival this year with her offering Typical Woman, Millican offers you the chance to catch her if you were crazy enough to miss her last year.

NGV Comedy Tour with Hannah Gadsby

While catching Gadsby for her regular comedy shows is a great night out, her very popular NGV Comedy Tour is an unusual treat.  Selling out in no time last year, you’ll have to get your skates on to make it to this year’s repeat but by all accounts its well worth the effort.  Wander the halls of the NGV and enjoy this unique event blending comedy and art like you won’t find any other night of the year.

Geraldine Hickey

This local lady returns for what is sure to be another impressive show.  Hickey should not be underestimated, having delivered stand-out solo shows at MICF over a number of years.  This year’s offering is directed by fellow Melbournian Celia Pacquola (another good female comic to check out this year if you haven’t already) and we’re looking forward to it.

Upfront 2010

Another group show offering plenty of opportunity to spy a new favourite, Upfront is back for its fifteenth year.  From big-name internationals like Nina Conti to hometown favourites such as Kitty Flanagan this show has something to keep your sides aching.

The festival website is up and running, ready for you to check out your favourite performers and search for some new talent.  Take a look, start to plan your comedy schedule and buy your tickets before you miss out!  In the meantime, we’ll be keeping an ear to the ground, listening to all the gossip from Adelaide Fringe Festival and around the traps on what’s shaping up to be worth a look for MICF.

Keep in the loop by subscribing to our email list or following us on twitter.  Subscribing will give you access to our ticket giveaways and discounts along with all our usual reviews, interviews and news.

The Barry Awards – 2009 Nominees

Tim Minchin (AUS) – Ready For This?

Rich Hall (USA) – Otis Lee Crenshaw Featuring Special Guest Rich Hall

Wilson Dixon (AUS) – Wilson Dixon Rides Again

Sarah Millican (UK) – Sarah Millican’s Not Nice

Asher Treleaven (AUS) – Open Door (Moosehead Award Recipient)

The Pajama Men (USA) – Versus vs Versus

Henning Wehn & Otto Kuhnle (DEU) – 1000 Years of German Humour

The Golden Gibbo – 2009 Nominees

Heath McIvor – Randy’s Postcards from Purgatory

Rob Hunter – Moosecow

Tale of the Golden Lease – Vigilantelope

The List Operators – The Last Tuesday Society

Tom Ballad – Is What He Is

Wes Snelling – Kiosk

Raw Comedy Winner

The top prize was awarded to Michael Workman of Western Australia. Michael won a trip to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to compete in the prestigious competition ‘So You Think You’re Funny’.  There were two ‘Runners Up’, awarded to bee keeper, jam maker and actor Charles Barrington – also known as Andy Rodger, a 27-year-old baker originally from Mildura, Victoria; and Ash Walmsley, a 28-year-old newspaper editor from Bundaberg, Queensland. The ‘Raw Recruit’ prize for the best first time entrant went to 27-year-old Don Tran of Victoria.

Deadly Funny Winner

After being runner-up the past two years, Shiralee Hood, of Nyoongar Kurnai community (Perth/Gippsland), was crowned champion.  Second place went to Ingo Collard from Western Australia, whilst Aaron Lester from South Australia came third. Phil Saunders from South Australia received an honourable mention.

The Funny Tonne

And the status of the funny tonne?  At last update in their race to beat Funny Tonne Champ Erin Davidson (2006) who sits undefeated on 123 shows, here’s how they were placed:

Joseph Crichton – 100 shows
Kristy Lillyst – 97 shows
Jessica Chi – 80 shows

Hope to see you all at Trades Hall this Sunday night for their awards night, including our two awards from The Pun!

Not one to pull her punches, Hocking turns herself into Miss Right with gusto. Heartily taking to the cause, she spends a fast-paced hour living it up on the side of the morally righteous. The targets are plenty, and her aim is right on. From our nanny state, where even the Bakers Delight staff need a national campaign on how not to slice up their hands in the bread machine, to Rudd’s Labor Party, where nothing can be done without a summit and a round of Kum Ba Yah, it’s all square in her sights.

By taking to the right, Hocking is able to avoid the pitfalls of much left-leaning political comedy. Rather than the safety of preaching to the converted, her unflinching assessment of the current government tackles new ground. She is able to unveil the man behind the curtain in our current left-wing politics, revealing the true state of our nation. Hocking avoids the soft target, a Liberal Party so declined they are almost irrelevant, and instead focuses our attention back towards a government that has shifted from the left-leaning ideals of much of its supporter base to the true middle ground of politics and all the bureaucracy it entails. Her tongue-in-cheek dissection is insightful, biting and brings laughs aplenty. There are less of the usual knowing nods and chuckles of recognition provided by political comedy, and more of the laugh-out-loud surprise provided by a unique comic talent who talks politics.

The only bump in an otherwise smooth performance came from Hocking’s onstage comfort and technique. Admittedly, she had formidable obstacles to overcome on this particular night. One friendly (read: drunk) gentleman insisted on introducing himself to the other audience members before the performance began, then proceeded to interrupt Hocking at the earliest opportunity and treat the show as a conversation, rather than a performance. It’s safe to say that there was little disappointment when the friendly (read: still drunk) gentleman decided to leave. To her credit, Hocking was able to overcome all his disruptions, drawing the audience back into the show with finesse. It was unfortunate, however, that the constant interruptions seemed to throw her, making her refer back to her notes frequently. This lack of confidence resulted in the pace of the show being thrown off, which was unnecessary, as the audience’s sympathy were well and truly with the performer.

1. Denise Scott – Number 26

Sit back, relax and put your metaphoric comfy nightie on so you can join Scott in her jaunt down memory lane.  Part stand-up, part storytelling with a dash of showbiz thrown in, this show is one you’ll remember long after you’ve rushed off to the next gig.

2. Wilson Dixon Rides Again

If you haven’t seen a Wilson Dixon show before, you’ll want to give this one a crack.  Not just because of the recent Barry Award nomination, which usually signals a good show, but because this uniquely drawn charachter has a way of sneaking up on you.  The music is good, the premise is good, the story is good.  This cowboy philosopher is more than just a charicature, which makes for a great show.

3. The List Operators

Addicted to making lists?  This show is perfect for you.  Fresh from their award winning season (and sold-out) season at Melbourne Fringe Festival, this duo will keep you laughing for a full hour… and what better than to make our Top 5 list than, well, a show about lists.

4. Tale of the Golden Lease

Read our review for a glowing recommendation to see this show, or just take my word for the fact that these lads are performing sketch comedy at its finest.

5. Justin Hamilton – Goodbye Ruby Tuesday

Combine one talented comedian and one talented actor and you get Goodbye Ruby Tuesday.  An hour long story about little-girl-lost, Ruby, and her rather strange friendship with local comic Jason.  There are smatterings of stand-up, a beguiling story and endearing, well drawn charachters.  Well worth a look.

Sharing the stories of her time in the family home at Number 26, Scott is completely at ease in her dressing gown and slippers as she sits at the kitchen table. We might not all fit around it, but its hard not to feel as though you really are just sitting opposite her without the hundred or so other audience members for most of this show. As we all sit holding our aching sides, Scott plays hostess in the best possible way, serving up family history that is funny in the way that only real experiences can be. From their early days in the house with a young family to the current situation; trying to kick the overgrown baby-birds out in order to become pleasantly free empty-nesters, Scott shares (and sometimes overshares) the family life which has taken place inside the walls of Number 26, knocking a few skeletons out of the closet along the way.

More than just a collection of family tales, Scott manages to tie together the mundane everyday of a house in suburbia with the sometimes sharp reality that exists behind all our front doors. Raising two children, keeping together a marriage, taking care of aging parents, building a career for herself and supporting her husband’s career has provided plenty of fodder for Scott’s cheeky and insightful comedy. While most of us probably haven’t had to share our significant other with a children’s circus (or the parents of circus kids), we relate to the all-to-human emotions and reactions of Scott. Our laughter comes from the recognition of our own jealousies, or ambitions, or struggles in the face of the reality of our sometimes complicated lives.

Peering inside Number 26 we can see a house and a life not so different from our own. What we also find is a storyteller able to cut through those day-to-day experiences and see the lighter side. Or perhaps just as enjoyably, the darker side we can all find funny. Whether you, like Denise Scott, are trying to clear the family house out a little to finally enjoy it on your own, or you’re one of the children taking advantage of the comforts of home a little longer than your parents might have expected, you’re sure to find a lot to enjoy about this slice of suburban storytelling.

Last night I attempted to re-join the living for a quick nip into the city to see Tim Minchin at The Forum.  Well worth my attempts to rug up from head to toe, our second-row seats put us in the perfect position to enjoy Minchin at his rather naughty best.  Unfortunately that’s all for shows, considering the combination of Festival Flu and suddenly cold nights are conspiring to keep me indoors.  The Pun team are still hard at work, and you’ll notice the reviews are still pouring in.

After a small hold up with our printing, our Pun Postcard Editions will be hitting the streets over the weekend, so keep an eye out for the various versions.  Collect them all – swap them with your friends!  In other exciting news, our awards are shaping up nicely, and we’ll be having our customary opportunity for you to share your opinions on your favourites from this year.  Great to see so many of you already commenting all over the site.  Don’t forget to send us your SMS or Twitter reviews to be in the running for the various comedy CDs and DVDs our sponsors have so kindly provided.  And have you been listening to the Puncasts?  Presenter Matt Smith has been doing a great job of catching comics all over town, getting them to spill all the show and festival joy.

And so it goes, rolling on towards the inevitable (sad) conclusion in a bit over a week.  I still have plenty of shows to catch before I’ll be satisfied, so lets hope there is enough time after I retire my sick-bed and get back into the audience again.  Meanwhile, may you avoid the Festival Flu for just that little bit longer!

As Dave Hughes discusses in a recent article in The Age, often a less-than-positive review will stick with a performer for a very long time.  This is also apparent when listening to one of Tim Minchin’s new songs from this year’s show, which he dedicates to a bad review he received three years ago.  Yes, three.  On one hand, this is very understandable.  Anyone, no matter how confident, is bound to dislike hearing how under-appreciated their creative work is.  Having somebody cast a critical eye over your performance and pick every flaw, magnify every bumble and sit in judgement of your talents would surely be difficult to accept.  It would lead you to question who this person was, to sit in judgement of your work.  Some say, “If you can’t do, teach”… other say “if you can’t do, review”.  Given the frequency with which some comedy reviewers cross over to performing comedy here in Melbourne it can be easy to see where the saying comes from.

On the other hand, reviewing is a key factor in the publicity-factory for festivals.  A good review can make or break a show, can assist in building an audience, can elevate an unheard of name to a show with remarkable buzz around it.  Audiences read reviews to get some idea what a show is like.  The festival program offers few words, written by performers themselves, and perhaps a short quote from a previous review.  It can be hard, from this tiny bit of information, to judge you should spend your hard earned cash on one show or another.  And should you judge a show by its poster?  Should you look at the advertisements on television, in newspapers?  Do they really give you any idea what to expect?  Like it or not, reading someone else’s experience of a given show is likely to offer more of an idea about what will take place after you buy your ticket than anything else.

On one side of the fence, comics who have been burned by a bad review can often be found defensively spouting that reviewers are out to get them, want to give bad reviews, get off on destroying shows, don’t know anything about comedy in the first place, don’t represent ‘real’ audiences or are frustrated performers themselves.  On the other side of the fence, reviewers will point out that they are unwilling to let poor performances go unchecked, save audiences from wasting money on sub-standard shows, comics can’t take criticism, it’s not their job to keep shows happy, they have a duty to be honest about a show’s faults.  They are courted, and then derided if their review finds even the smallest criticism.  There is truth on both sides.  And the relationship between reviewer and reviewed is symbiotic.  Without something to review, the reviewer has no purpose.  Without a review, a performer has difficulty getting the word out about their show.  The only potentially unhappy party in the case of a positive review is the reader/audience member, in the case where a reviewer has ‘gone soft’ and not been honest about a poor performance.  They have trusted a reviewer (or publication) to provide them with a fair assessment about a show, and if the show is weak (but the review didn’t make this apparent) they feel let down by both the show and the publication.  Nobody wins.

Particularly in comedy, where the lines between the performer and the character they inhabit on stage can be blurry, or in some cases knife thin, the criticism of a reviewer can strike very close to home.  It is rare to have a vitriolic email in response to a review from an actor, director, film producer, musician or dancer.  It’s almost as if, when reading a review, they can separate the criticism of the performance from the criticism of themselves.  For comics, this appears harder to do.  Many take criticism of their routine, performance, material or presentation as personal.  Some reviewers find it hard to separate performer and performance, but it seems some comics also suffer the same problem.  Sad to say, but often comics respond to criticism with burning outrage.  In many cases, as with the recent example of Dave Hughes, the review itself is far from acerbic.  A small comment or criticism can be interpreted as much harsher than it was probably intended (or as most audiences read it).  Listening to Tim Minchin’s ode to his negative reviewer, it’s hard to understand how his steady climb to international success can leave him time to fixate on three-year-old reviews.  But it does.  Enough to write a biting song in response.

Reviews and reviewers serve different purposes depending on who the reviewer is, what the media outlet is and who the (perceived) readership is.  For us here at The Pun, we have a clear understanding of our aims.  We don’t offer a star-rating system because we have a large team.  Given that we review so many shows (significantly more than any other media outlet), we have a varied team of writers, all of whom have differing opinions and tastes.  When you read reviews from a mainstream media outlet such as The Age you often know the individual reviewer, and will know your tastes are the same as (or different from) theirs.  You know if they’re tough to impress, or if they don’t like musical comedy.  It’s a relationship arts reviewers build with their audience over a long time.  For us, we operate on the theory that a review should help match the right show with the right audience.  A reader should read the review and get a good idea if they would like to see it.  We do not claim, or seek, to rate shows, compare them against each other or to attempt to claim an expertise in the field of comedy.  As an editor, I encourage my writers to offer balanced criticism, to think about who would like (or dislike) the show and write a review which offers a flavour of the show without giving away punch-lines.

Easier said than done, frankly.  As a publication we’re routinely criticised as being too soft, too hard, too alternative in our tastes, too mainstream in our tastes, being skewed towards story/musical/theatre shows, skewed towards stand-up, having no idea about comedy, being too involved in comedy, not covering enough locals, going too soft on locals…. and on and on and on.  There’s no accounting for taste, so the saying goes, and no matter what a reviewer’s taste, there is always somebody else with a different taste.

Paramount for us is not what a comic thinks of their review, though I can think of more than one occasion where I’ve felt horrible publishing what I knew was a fair (but not positive) assessment of a show.  Our job, as a reviewer, is to give audiences an accurate idea of what to expect of a show.  Regardless of how the performer feels.  And while it is true that there are reviewers out there who enjoy nothing more than to sink their teeth into any perceived weakness in a show, or see a show with the attitude that the performer will have to work damn hard to get any positive words from them, for the most part they are rare.  And they certainly don’t work for me.  Most reviewers love live performance, and they write about it because they want to dissect it, discuss it, discover it.  They are looking for the good in a show, not the bad.  Unfortunately, if they don’t acknowledge the bad where it is found, all of the reviewer’s work is useless.  A review only serves its purpose if it is able to enlighten the audience to the good/bad/relevant/salient points of the performance, so they can make their own choice about whether the show is for them.

What a reviewer want and a comic want are actually the same thing.  To get an audience who will enjoy the show to see it.

It should also be noted at this stage, half-way through the festival, that myself and a few fellow reviewers (or serial comedy audience members) have been pleasantly satisfied by many shows, but seem to universally wondering where the surprise, that gem of hidden magic, is to be found in this year’s festival. So far the buzz seems to be centred on only a few shows; The List Operators, Sam Simmons, Celia Pacquola, Suitcase Royale. Having seen only one, I can’t really comment on them individually.

That’s all for my brief update. I’ll now return to my bed in hopes of recovering enough to see Tim Minchin on Wednesday night, which I’ve been looking forward to for weeks. Expect a temper tantrum if I’m not well enough to attend.

I hope the laughs have been flowing thick and fast for you.

For Ruby (Hannah Norris) who has just moved to Melbourne, a chance meeting with comic Jason Harrington (Hamilton) leads to an unlikely friendship and a developing interest in the local comedy scene.  Through their quirky friendship, she is forced to confront the past she’s been moving away from since leaving her hometown of Canberra, and a future she can’t quite face yet.

From the moment Hannah Norris takes to the stage she shines as Ruby, part obsessive in her need for routine and order, part desperate for that special something that will make her life interesting or unique.  Hamilton has written a truly likeable character, and has gifted her with some great dialogue.  She doesn’t play straight man to his funny man, nor is she a prop for a story about him.  This is a show about Ruby, and Hamilton has done well to play Harrington as a second fiddle to her narrative.

The performance follows their developing friendship as Ruby watches Jason Harrington’s stand-up, a hyper-intense and slightly tongue-in-cheek version of the kind of comedy Hamilton himself performs.  Off stage, Harrington’s brash attitude and lazze-faire approach start to filter into Ruby’s life, pushing her outside her comfort zone.

As the story develops, it is clear that Hamilton has written and developed a great script which tells an engaging story that doesn’t fail to draw the audience in.  In the early minutes Hamilton distracts by performing, in true comedy style, directly to the audience rather than to his co-star, but this disappears as he warms up and the audience is drawn into Ruby and Jason’s world.

It’s a playful, and surprisingly touching, piece of theatre which succeedes where many comedy/theatre pieces do not.  The tight narrative, with requisite twists and turns, allows for the all-knowing winks and self-referential humor to sate the funny requisite without neglecting the drama.  Instead of being told a story, we are able to take a journey, which is where most plot-driven comedy pieces fall short.  This is a memorable and enjoyable show to catch amid the many regular stand-up shows.