
Mary Bolling
- Bio: Ink-stained travelling circus of reportage and random adventures. Likes beer in the shower, toast in bed, and laughing. Also rocking. Out.
The Pun 2011 Reviews »
“I hate the phrase ‘young comedian’,” complains fresh-faced Bo Burnham as he gets his show rolling. Then deadpan, “I prefer ‘prodigy’.”
It’s this self-aware genius that defines the energetic American’s show. In a fast-paced and rambling hour, the flamboyant lad takes frequent pause to ask philosophical questions about what the hell he’s doing. But here’s the thing – as he strums, sings, raps, strips and poetry-slams his way through a killer set, the precocious kid knows exactly what he’s doing. And it’s working like a charm.
The boy from Boston fits that …
The Pun 2011 Reviews »
“No one wants to hear your travel stories!”
It’s this universal truth, acknowledged by Russell McGilton, that forms the unlikely – and brave – jumping off point for this show; a show made up of nothing but travel stories.
Accidents Are Prohibited on This Road: Adventures in Miss is a road well travelled for the Melbourne performer. It’s the second MICF outing for the show, and follows his similarly adventurous effort in 2006, Bombay to Beijing by Bicycle.
The bald and portly bloke begins with a bit of time travel. With photos to …
The Pun 2011 Interviews »
The Pun 2010 Reviews »
Bang up for some late-night comedy on a Thursday and want bang for your buck? Well, the ladies from Bang Bang Agency: Bang On clearly had you in mind when they named their show.
Another variety night featuring (mainly) the female of the species, it’s coordinated by carny-about-town Anna “Pocket Rocket” Lumb and self-appointed Poet Laureate Telia Neville. Already, that’s a weird marriage of irrepressible acrobatics and deadpan-droll verse, but it works – the strong performers anchor the show with ease.
On opening night, MC Tina del Twist was an entertainingly over-the-top …
The Pun 2010 Reviews »
How complicated can you make a love triangle? Well, if you’re Circus Trick Tease, it requires a lot of standing on heads.
The relentlessly energetic show tells the story of a neurotic strongman, his alcoholic ring-mistress lover, and a dopey international guest star. Between them, they’ve got muscles enough to move mountains – and hormones aren’t in short supply, either.
The story’s straight-forward, but that’s about it. With some of the best over-acting you’ll see under an (imagined) big top, the three performers have comic timing to match their acrobatic equivalent. All …
The Pun 2010 Reviews »
Peter Berner should have been at KRudd’s 2020 summit. He told me so. About 50 times throughout the course of his show Binge Thinker. Sure, he might not have provided Our Beloved Leader with quite the photo opportunity that Our Cate delivered. (And in fact, the man is rocking the most horrific bald-and-beard look you’ll see this festival.) But he’s got the ideas.
In truth it is a pity the once-host of ABC TV BackBerner and The Einstein Factor didn’t get a guernsey. It certainly would have livened up proceedings.
In a stripped-back …
The Pun 2010 Reviews »
As Jane Austen once observed, “All young women are accomplished. They sing, they draw, they dance, speak French and German, cover screens and I know not what.” Well Ms Austen, in the case of female comedic collective the Skirt Network, inimitable attitude seems to rank high on the accomplishment list – and their second annual showcase was no exception.
Appropriately for this session of sheilas doin’ it for themselves, the evening kicked off with some actual sisters. Karin and Emma Muizneiks are two girls and a guitar, and take on that …


|