I’ve seen plenty of comedy acts in my time – but usually ones I’d chosen to go and see because I’d caught them on TV or YouTube and their sense of humour tickled me.
At the Gala Opening of the Sydney Comedy Festival this week at the Sydney Opera House, however, the line-up of 15 comics was kept top secret and so the audience had no idea whatsoever who they’d paid good money to come to see. But the happy buzz in the crowd felt like everyone was hyped and ready to enjoy whoever appeared on stage.
After UK comic Sara Pascoe (Would I Lie to You?) kicked off as host, the campily gorgeous cabaret artist/comedian Reuben Kaye slunk his way through the audience crooning sexily and flirting with several hapless members of the audience. He set the bar high and I’m happy to say it stayed up there the whole night.
Kaye was followed by 14 other artists – ranging from 23-year-old queer comedy phenom Leo Reich who has landed in Sydney straight from rave reviews and universal acclaim at the Edinburgh Fringe, to stalwarts like Aussie-Italian Joe Avati – who performed wearing the most covetable sparkly gold sneakers – and UK comedy legend Stephen K Amos.
Quirky Finnish sensation Ismo, who has 630,000 Instagram followers (me included) and is currently making his way around Australia performing sold-out shows, followed his usual schtick of highlighting the ridiculousness of the English language. I fell about laughing but even funnier was English comedian ‘Troy Hawke’ (Milo McCabe), who, sporting a smoking jacket, a cravat and 1930s-style pencil-thin moustache, proceeded to declaim the Mr Men series of children’s books as deviously misogynistic and chauvinist. If you don’t believe me, consider Mr Strong, Mr Happy, Mr Cool and Mr Clever – and their female counterparts, Little Miss Chatterbox, Little Miss Naughty and the hapless Little Miss Neat, who is left to clean up the mess made by Mr Muddle in her previously perfect home.
If the Gala Opening Night is any indication, the Sydney Comedy Festival truly has someone for everyone. Check it out.
Sydney Comedy Festival 23
24 April – 21 May, 2023
At 13 venues across Sydney
sydneycomedyfest.com.au
