Shows:
Celia Pacquola – Am I Strange?
Matthew Keneally – On The Post Hope Express
Jimmy James Eaton – ImproSapien
Die Roten Punkte – Robot/Lion Tour
then
Hi-Fi Festival Club – Mickey D (MC), Smart Casual, Neil Delamere, Felicity Ward, The Boy With Tape on His Face
How I love sitting at or close to the front row in shows – last night I was given prop-chocolate because the comedian needed her hands free for the next bit, and I had a musical improvised about not only my life so far but my ideal death and reincarnation as well. Sweet.
All these shows were previews, which means that there were some totally unsurprising technical glitches, as sound and light techs assigned by the festival have to not only deal with the obvious cues that they’ve studied, but also the rhythms of that particular show for when the comic goes off-piste. None of those glitches will be named/shamed here, because that’s what previews are for – smoothing out those kinks.
I was late for the first show due to a transport foul-up. Boo-hoo, because I definitely missed 20 minutes of top entertainment. The show is hung on the framework of a relationship break-up, but Celia Pacquola explores so much more in asking whether the way she thinks about these things really is strange. Pacquola is not afraid to be vulnerable, but deftly deflects any hint of wallowing with sharp observations and whimsical diversions. Sound and lighting effects were precise and effective, and using a hanging to display the journey for the audience is inspired. The Lunch Room at Town Hall is small and fills up fast – definitely one to book.
Matthew Kenneally’s show is unabashedly political, looking at the rhetoric of promises versus the realities of process. This is one of the 10 best written shows I’ve seen this year – narratively and comically satisfying, a firm grip on irony, and the flattering assumption that his audience knows their politics well enough to follow his examination of the queue to climb the greasy pole. You’ll learn something about cutting through spin and laugh hearty while you do.
Jimmy James Eaton offers a solo improvisation show, backed only by a digital multimedia box which he programs on the spot to provide soundtracks for the acting out of audience suggestions. Thus a bunch of first memories from the audience were turned into a song, a school theatre production taught kids a lesson from Bob the Lion, one couple had their first meeting performed before them as an action movie, and my life from birth to death became a musical. This is huge fun in a very intimate space, so the audience all become co-conspirators as the show progresses and they see their suggestions turned into laughs.
Die Roten Punkte are obviously a very popular return act – some in the crowd were singing along before the show even started. The dysfunctional siblings Astrid and Otto aired their neuroses with gusto and bickered with glee, and sometimes remembered to play some songs. This is a terrific show for late at night – guaranteed to send you home with a huge grin and earworms that will last for days.
The Festival Club at Hi-Fi is a showcase for festival talent and also a spot to watch the festival talent at play after their own shows are over. I came in after the feature act in the first half of the show, but caught an impressive line-up. Mickey D as always a slick MC, Smart Casual are part of this year’s Comedy Zone for 4 upcoming comic acts, Neil Delamere is Ireland’s renowned “banter bomb”, Felicity Ward is cracked in the most appealing way, and The Boy With Tape On His Face is utterly unique. I won’t have time to see all of their shows in the week I’m here, but I would see them all if I could. Anyone got a spare TARDIS?
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