This post has been updated to add new performance photos

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Shows:
Peter Green Book Launch, Comedy on the Edge @ Hotel William Tues 11th
Jackie Loeb, Mic in Hand @ Friend in Hand Hotel, Thurs 13th
Theatresports Cranston Cup Semi Final #2 @ Belvoir, Sun 16th

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• Comedy on the Edge, upstairs at the Hotel William, is a big (big) comfortable space, filled with rows of sofas and a small stage. The audience for the book launch of Are Youse The Comoydians? were mellow and appreciative, anticipating a more laid-back night than your usual stand-up show, and so it proved. Fast-talking Jonas Holt and veteran Peter Meisel were delightful supports in the first half of the show, and then (proving room manager Mark Williamson’s maxim of “you just never know who may be dropping by the EDGE”) in the second half came the welcome surprise of “toughest woman in comedy” Julia Wilson doing a spot before Greeny came on to discuss his book with fellow cyclist-comedian Dominick O’Kieran (who also MC’ed the evening).
  
  Peter Green

  The Last Legs tour was obviously different: two comedians cycled across Australia and wherever they stopped for the night they put on a comedy show. Their own mishaps and the varied reactions and characters they met along the way make for a string of highly entertaining anecdotes. Chase down Peter Green and buy his book to see for yourself!

  This week on Comedy on the Edge: “The Bad Boys of Comedy are back!! Featuring the Man, the myth the Legend Jeremy ‘Keasty’ Keast, Justin ‘D’ Lodge, all the way from Melbourne the Nelson Twins and your main attraction Barry ‘Hardcore’ Hamilton.”

• A Mic In Hand: this room has built a strong reputation in the nearly six years it’s been open, offering crowd favourites as headliners and featured acts while providing a rising comics showcase as well. They always pull a good crowd, not least because top comedians often drop in unannounced to do a spot.

  On Thursday, veteran Rob McHugh was MC, mixing well-refined material with the topical to good effect. The rising comics showcase offered the varied styles of Thomas Russell, Duncan McConachie, Hugh Cameron, Mikey Mileos and John Cruickshank to a generally strong crowd reception. Some material was slightly uneven but all had great moments. Dave Jory (triple j) dropped by to do a surprise spot, most uncharacteristically not wearing a suit, telling us he was too depressed to bother due to his Movember hairiness and the domestic tyranny of his cat, amongst other things.

  
  Jackie Loeb at A Mic in Hand in 2007 (Liz Christie)

  The featured acts were both musical comedians, but their styles are quite different. Supporting act Shane Matheson flashes an engaging cheesy grin to present as an amiably energetic lunatic with a keyboard and a ukelele, offering songs that are sometimes only one phrase long, and covering a plethora of topics. Transitions are abrupt and the laughs roll on top of one another. He was very well received. Headliner Jackie Loeb’s set, befitting her 14 years or so in comedy, was more structured and polished (especially in her use of audience banter), her absurdities and physical comedy sparkling amongst the trademark song parodies, most especially delighting the crowd by doing their requested Bassey song to end the show. [previous review]

  This week at Mic in Hand: Peter Eigner headlining with David Smiedt as MC, plus rising comics open mic.

• Theatresports Cranston Cup Semi Final #2 was a rip-snorting show last night, ring-mastered by the outstanding Ewan Campbell and Jane Simmons (pictures coming!).
  
  Host Ewan Campbell & Timekeeper Jane Simmons
  (Source: sgr.com.au)

  It started off as a fairly typical show, with the requisite chuckles and occasional guffaw, but by the end of the night the players were on fire, taking enormous risks with the challenges they set themselves and each other with absolutely hilarious results, enhanced by musical accompanist Jason Rushton. Winners on the night were student team Arabian Disko Knights from Blue Mountains Grammar School, a triumph richly deserved and truly memorable: for certainly the first time that either I or Impro Australia’s Geoff Bartlett can recall, the Schools contest winners have made it all the way through the heats to secure a place in the Grand Final: congratulations!

Teams now through to the Grand Final (at Enmore Theatre):
Man/Raven. Dave Bloustein, Marko Mustac and Steve Walsh.
North Sho’ Pimps. J Rex (Jon Williams), Lynch Pin (Steve Lynch) and Tao of Yao (Jeremy Yao).
Super Love Ultimate Team (defending Cranston Cup Champions). Lee Naimo, Jordan Raskopoulos, Steen Raskopoulos and Simon Greiner
Arabian Disko Knights (2008 Schools Contest Champions): Jimmy Tredinnick, Nadia Odlum, Ben Hunter, Lauren Moscovis

Teams in next week’s Repechage Playoff (at Belvoir Street):
Osama Bin Laden Blues Exposion. Rebecca DeUnamuno, Cameron Knight and Dave Williams
Obese People Can Be Healthy:Study. Grant Davies, Scott Hall-Watson, Matt Foster
Pyjama Party. Lisa Ricketts, Amanda Buckley and Susie Youssef
Unicorns Are Racists, Too. Alice Fraser, Tess McLellan, Mitchell Alistair and Carlo Ritchie

The Grand Final is on Saturday Dec 6th at the Enmore Theatre.

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Image Credits for performance photos: all images used with permission. Jackie Loeb at A Mic in Hand courtesy of Liz Christie, Theatresports Semifinals photos courtesy of photographer sgr.com.au and Impro Australia.

Tags: A Mic in Hand, Comedy on the EDGE, Cranston Cup, Dave Jory, Ewan Campbell, Grand Final, Jackie Loeb, Jane Simmons, Jason Rushton, Jonas Holt, Julia Wilson, Peter Green, Peter Meisel, Repechage, Schools Champions, Shane Matheson

Ah, the US election threw my writing schedule totally out of whack! Apologies for the delays.

Acts reviewed: Axis of Awesome, Sugar Sammy, Harley Breen, Jacques Barrett, Diverse Theatresports(R) Players
Venues: Marble Bar, Comedy Store, Belvoir Street Theatre
Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Axis of Awesome, Belvoir Street Theatre, Comedy Store, Cranston Cup, Harley Breen, Jacques Barrett, Marble Bar, Sugar Sammy, Theatresports(R)

“…is a wonderful thing to see.” ~ Carl Reiner

There’s impro shows all over the calendar in Sydney at the moment (and in many other cities too), so if you enjoyed Comedy Slapdown this week on the Comedy Channel, why not come and see some live impro, and feel the fear right there in front of you?

For the next few Sundays at Belvoir Street Theatre until the Grand Final on December 6th at the Enmore Theatre, teams of improvisors try to knock each other out of the running for the Theatresports(R) Cranston Cup.

Witness the thrills and spills as teams of comic actors create instant scenes based on surprise offers and audience suggestions. Putting their wit and courage to the test, the country’s top improvisers battle it out to get their hands on the biggest, ugliest trophy in Australia.

The Grand Final at Enmore Theatre always sells out, so get booking now, and you could always avoid disappointment and catch one of the Belvoir semi-finals first! I went tonight and had a great time, as did the rest of the audience.

If Sunday night isn’t your thing (or if you just want a bargain), the Roxbury Hotel in Glebe is serving up impro each week as well. On the first and third Tuesdays of each month, Full Body Contact No Love Tennis pits doubles teams against each other in a more long-form style of impro challenge to win something much less ugly (and less big (and less valuable)) than the Cranston Cup. (tickets $10 at door or through moshtix)

Full Body Contact No Love Tennis: pairs of improvisors compete for the tennis u/19 trophy while we dole out audience prizes. you may just win a gem…there’s still a dining table yet to be given away!

On alternate weeks, A Regular One Night Stand sets the scene for the ultimate battle of the sexes on Thursday nights (13 Nov, 27 Nov, 11 Dec - tickets $12/10 through moshtix)

A Regular One Night Stand is a hilarious improvised comedy show which pits boys against girls, and sees the audience vote throughout the evening for who they think is the ‘funniest’ sex. The cast improvise scenes, make up songs and jokes and play solo and team challenges.

There’s also the classic weekly Theatresports(R) show, Scared Scriptless, Thursday nights at the Harold Park hotel in Glebe. This is Sydney’s longest-running impro show, and tickets are only $10.

Elsewhere

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Tags: A Regular One Night Stand, Cranston Cup, Full Body Contact No Love Tennis, Gorilla Theatre, Impro Australia, Impro Melbourne, Impro Vice, Kookaburra Challenge, Open Mic Improv, Scared Scriptless, The Big HOO HAA!, Theatresports(R)

Whether you win or lose a bundle on the gee-gees, kicking on at a comedy show after the race is a fine way to finish off the day.

Your comedy options are listed by State:

SYDNEY

Comedy @ Marble Bar: catch The Axis of Awesome supported by Ray Badran, Jay Sullivan and MC’ed by David Smiedt at the iconic Marble Bar under the Hilton Hotel in George Street, Sydney. Includes “so you think you’re funny?” spot for the audience and a prize for the best hat! Doors 5:30pm, show 7pm $15 [more details]

Full Body Contact No Love Tennis Horse Race: a night of impro mayhem with pairs of veteran improvisors competing for the night’s prize at the Roxbury Hotel in Glebe. 8pm. Book through moshtix [facebook]

Comedy On The Edge@ Hotel William: Makybe Diva as MC! 8pm, Exit by donation [myspace]

Comedy @ The Harold: Harold Park Hotel: Featuring Brett Nichols 7pm, [more details]

Ridiculismus @ Belvoir: UK comedy duo play all the parts in The Importance of Being Earnest. Multi-award winning show. 6:30pm on Tuesday nights. $52/$45/$33 [more details]

MELBOURNE
Being a public holiday, there’s a Monday night gig kicking on late because everybody can sleep in the next day!
Local Laughs @ The Local, St Kilda: Why not wear a hat? MC is Lawrence Mooney
PLUS: David Quirk, Damian Lawlor, Ryan Coffey, Dan Walmsley, Adam Knox, Richard McKenzie, and more. $12/10 [myspace]

Tuesday night:
Laughing Lion @ Toorak Lion: Chris Franklin, CJ Fortuna, Eliza Rounds, Cameron Marshall, Steele Saunders & Luke Ryan. Doors 8pm, show 8:30 $12/10 Ph: (03) 9827 8244 [myspace]

Mock The Vote @ The Bella Union Bar (Trades Hall): A night of fresh political satire, witty barbs and last chance deals on George Bush material. Hosted by Courteney Hocking and featuring Rod Quantock, Mat Keneally, Dan Burt, Kate McClennan and Nick Caddaye. There’s a panel of political pundits, and quite possibly no horses will be mentioned at all. $18/$15 [more details]

ADELAIDE
PJ O’Briens: Featuring Ben Darsow, MC Phil Cowie. 8pm, $10 Entry $8 Conc. [more details]

PERTH
Wild West Comedy Fest @ Subiaco: spoiled for choice! Featuring performances by Rachel Berger, The Scared Weird Little Guys, Ben Russell, Jeff Hewitt and many more!!! [more details]

Addit: Shapiro Tuesdays @ Lazy Susan’s (upstairs at The Brisbane): MC Ben Wright, Jordan Newnham, James Palm, Josh Makinda, Cameron Davis, John Conway, Laura Davis, Paris, Tess and Sam (class clowns WA winners), Ben Russell, Zack Adams & The Sexy Ghosts [more details on facebook]

Please leave details of any comedy shows not listed in the comments below.

Tags: Axis of Awesome, Bella Union, Belvoir, Ben Darsow, Ben Wright, Brett Nichols, Chris Franklin, CJ Fortuna, Damian Lawlor, David Quirk, Full Body Contact, Harold Park, Laughing Lion, Lazy Susan's, melbourne cup, Mock the Vote, Phil Cowie, PJ Obrien's, Ridiculismus, Rod Quantock, Ryan Coffey, Shapiro Tuesdays, Wild West Comedy Fest

Gleaned from sources sundry and various:

• If you missed the first show of SBS new homegrown comedy Swift and Shift Couriers on Monday night, you can catch the full episode online at the SBS TV homepage. The next show airs on Monday 3rd November at 8:30pm.
• Melbourne impro troupe The Crew are providing the entertainment at a fundraising trivia night at the Melbourne Town Hall to support the Asylum Seekers Resource Centre. Book by October 31st! [The Crew blog]
• Ying Tong: A Walk with The Goons is heading to Adelaide in November after a strong run in the eastern states. Veteran comics Geoff Kelso and Johnny Biggins play Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers respectively. [Independent Weekly]
  

  Written by Roy Smiles, the show also features David James as Harry Secombe and John Hannan as voiceover man Wallace Greenslade and follows Milligan through a period of hospitalisation after a nervous breakdown.

• Kitty Flanagan is appearing in Byron Bay on November 3rd. [Byron Shire Echo]
• A new celebrity improvisation show is coming to the Comedy Channel on Nov 8th: Comedy Slapdown, hosted by HG Nelson. [TV Tonight]
• Pam Ann back in Australia:[SameSame]
  

  Fresh from her recent run of Terror At 41,000 Feet, the insatiable Pam Ann, air hostess with the mostess, has flown to Sydney to film her new show The Pam Ann Experience at Foxtel Studios.

Got some more comedy news? Why not leave us a link in the comments box below?

Tags: Adelaide, Byron Bay, Comedy Channel, Comedy Slapdown, David James, Geoff Kelso, HG Nelson, John Hannan, Johnny Biggins, Kitty Flanagan, Pam Ann, Swift and Shift Couriers, The Crew, The Goons, The Pam Ann Experience

UPDATE (1st Nov): SEASON EXTENDED - TWO MORE SHOWS
Fri 7th & Sat 8th November [more information]

15 Oct - 1 Nov (Tues-Sat) 8pm
The Factory Theatre, 105 Victoria Rd, Marrickville
(just down the hill from the Enmore Theatre) [map]
TICKETS: $28 full, $24 conc, $22 groups 10+ & IA members
Bookings 9550 3666 or Ticketek
Warning: May contain coarse language and adult themes.

PULP is a night of improvised theatre based on those gloriously kitsch paperback serials of the mid 20th century - hardboiled gumshoes, menaces from space, jungle adventures and shadowy scandals amongst cut-glass English vowels, every one of them chock full of politically incorrect views on gender, race and class relations. A veritable treasure trove of dodginess for the performers to explore while making as many puns as possible along the way, never forgetting to incorporate audience suggestions of various bizarre non sequiturs such as a hedgehog in a handbag, a highly significant tea-towel, or a bunny-eating pope.

But it’s not just your ordinary improvised theatre - this is New Wave Impro. The innovation is to incorporate multimedia expositions of pulp genres as well as sound effects that pick up on the spine of the show: scripted vignettes at various intervals that lead into the next invitation for audience suggestions. Detailed flourishes in the costume and staging elements give impact to the proceedings, especially the film noir lighting. Director Marko Mustac and producer John Knowles have created a very slick looking show that tickles every sensory apparatus.

The performers are veterans of Sydney’s Theatresports(R) scene, all thoroughly enjoying themselves in this New Wave format. The cast rotates, with twelve members of the ensemble but only six on stage any particular night, and all players taking on different characters on different nights. This extra challenge will, no doubt, keep the improvised elements fresh for each performance.

On Friday night the players on stage were Rebecca de Unamuno, Nigel Sutton, Josie O’Reilly, David Callan, John Knowles and Jon Williams. The long familiarity these players have with each other shone through the scenes, and for those who know their impro onions there were many moments of great technical proficiency to admire in how the improvisations unfolded, while for those more innocent of such things there were a hell of a lot of laughs. Particular mention has to go to Sutton for creative use of the worst Kiwi accent ever, O’Reilly’s femme fatale, Callan and Williams being painfully French, de Unamuno’s array of ingenues and Knowles’ evil alien and swishy billionaire.

PULP finishes its current season this Saturday. Don’t miss out.

Tags: David Callan, John Knowles, Jon Williams, Josie O'Reilly, Marko Mustac, Nigel Sutton, Rebecca de Unamuno