Review: A "relatively tasteful" evening of great hilarity
Not sure what to expect, this evening turned out to be very entertaining with great hilarity and, despite the many phallic-based puns, it was done in a relatively tasteful way!
The show opened with a set from Canadian and award-winning comedian, Phil Nichol, who began quite loud and frenetic, describing himself as ‘bi-furious’. The audience soon warmed to him and were all singing along to “I’m the only gay Eskimo in the tribe” which also included a contribution from one of the few male members of the audience whom Phil coaxed on to the stage and proved to be a great sport.
Phil also plays guitar and had us all in stitches at his mimicry of the styles of other musicians such as Dylan, the Proclaimers, Billy Bragg, and Elvis, to name a few.
The main show started after the interval when the men from Oz, Simon (Morley, the original creator) and Fitchy, bounded on stage, resplendent in capes, socks and trainers! Introducing the camerawoman and their big screen, they welcomed the audience to an evening of “cackling at our cocks”, before embarking on their warm up of “genital zumba” before discarding the cloaks and commencing the puppetry. The fact that they were naked apart from socks and trainers added to the hilarity while somehow dispensing with any hint of vulgarity.
Discretely turning their backs to the audience while preparing each ‘installation’, we were treated to the Brain, Yoda, Miley Cyrus, various species of birds and animals such as the pelican and a particularly cute Joey, as well as my personal favourite, the Loch Ness monster.
There were also several examples of fast food including their show stopper and signature dish, the hamburger: the model which started the ball rolling, as it were!
I saw this show when it first opened in London, some 15 years ago and I was pleased to see that, while still including some old favourites such as the Eiffel tower, the show has evolved and continues to be innovative; the windsurfing stage exit being a prime example.
By Anne Horsburgh
October 21, 2016