THE CHAPERONE - film

Based mainly in the 1920s, The Chaperone is based loosely on the true story of Louise Brookes, a 15 year old girl in Wichita who dreams of becoming a famous professional dancer in New York.

The Chaperone is a really pleasant film to watch. It’s not mind-blowing five stars good, but easy-to-watch, enjoyable 3-3.5 stars good.

Louise (Haley Lu Richardson) is accepted to study at a modern dance school in New York but her parents insist she cannot go without a chaperone… enter Elizabeth McGovern as Norma Carlisle who many will recognise from her role as Cora Crawley in Downton Abbey.

The two women head to New York with their own plans; Louise to dance her way out of small town Wichita and Norma to find her biological parents who put her up for adoption. No spoilers here about how all that turns out.

If you’re looking for a pleasant way to spend 108 minutes and like a period drama (or 1920s fashion!), then I’d happily recommend this one. Here’s a 3-star review from the Fairfax press if you want to read more.

The Chaperone opens 25 April and is rated PG. Trailer here.

TOP END WEDDING - film

This Australian rom com is completely delightful. It’s not perfect but I can very happily recommend it to you as a film that will make you laugh and maybe even shed a few tears.

Miranda Tapsell stars as city lawyer lady Lauren and Gwilym Lee as her pom soon-to-be husband Ned; both shine brightly in this film directed by Wayne Blair, the man also behind the film The Sapphires.

Lauren and Ned live in Adelaide and when they get engaged, they race to be married in Darwin 10 days later but on arrival discover Lauren’s mum has gone AWOL. Though she doesn’t have loads of screen time, Lauren’s mum is a really significant player in the film and her story is very moving. I definitely did shed a few tears but no spoilers here!

Lauren’s dad has more screen time and though the character is quite loveable, I’m mystified why they cast an English actor to play him, Huw Higginson. (You, like me, might recognise him from his long stint on the TV show The Bill. Anyone else forced to watch it with their parents on Saturday nights in the ‘90s?!) The only theory I can come up with for the strange casting is that they want a known face to help sell the film in the UK. I gather he relocated to Australia in 2014 and though his Australian accent is pretty good, it’s not perfect. This and the strange plotline involving Lauren’s boss going from office bitch to wedding saviour (!) are my only significant criticisms of the film. It’s otherwise pretty damn lovely.

I’m not sure if Tourism NT tipped any money into producing the film but given it paints a stunning picture of the Northern Territory, I sure hope they did! I certainly left wondering why the hell I haven’t spent more time exploring that part of Australia.

For more on the plot check out this three star review in The Guardian, which I reckon is a tad harsh but in many ways fair. For me this one is more like 3.5 or 4 stars worth of goodness.

Watch the trailer here. Top End Wedding opens 2 May and is rated M.

LITTLE - film

Reviews of this film were embargoed til release day. When this happens it typically means one of two things. Either it’s a massive blockbuster that will definitely be a big success and they want to keep some mystery OR the film is a massive dud and they want to stop poor word-of-mouth from affecting opening weekend ticket sales. It’s sadly definitely the latter in this case.

Little is pretty terrible. In light of that, I won’t labour over telling you too much about it but in summary, scary corporate boss lady somehow (I’d tell you but it’s dumb) winds up inhabiting the body of her 13 year old self when she learns life lessons that help her to be less nasty when she’s returned to her adult body. Yeah, look, it sounds stupid because it is.

As I was watching this film thinking about how bad it is and how much I’d like to leave (I never do if I’m blogging about a film - you can’t be fair if you haven’t seen the whole thing), I wondered if I just hated it because I’m not the target audience. So I turned my mind to my nieces who are aged between 12 and 17 - what I presume is in large part the target - and wondered what they’d think. I think it’s safe to say the younger ones would find it funnier than I did but the older ones would just think it was a bit lame. And frankly any film with ‘jokes’ about ‘crack babies’ and trans people is not something I’d support them watching anyway. It’s a real pity because a film with so much diversity in the cast would be really welcome if it were actually any good.

In the interests of fairness, not everyone dislikes this one as much as me. For example, Fairfax has given it 3.5 stars which is 1.5 stars too many in my opinion… which incidentally aligns with what The Guardian has given it.!

Little opens today and is rated PG. Trailer here.

THE MAN WHO KILLED DON QUIXOTE - film

The Man Who Killed Don Quixote is a comedy film created by Terry Gilliam of Monty Python fame starring Adam Driver.

If you’re a regular reader of this blog you will know that very occasionally I ask you to do some self-reflection to help understand whether a film is for you. This is one of those times.

If you’re a bit of a film snob - arthouse cinema over shopping centre chain, for example - then I reckon you’ll really dig this. If you’re more of a mainstream type, then you will think this is boring and pretentious.

If you fall into the former of these two and this has piqued your interest (no shame in this, arthouse cinema-goers welcome!), there’s some interesting background on the plot and history of how the film (finally) got made here. Alternatively, here’s a three star review in The Guardian with fewer plot spoilers if you prefer.

The Man Who Killed Don Quixote is playing exclusively at Cinema Nova in Melbourne and selected cinemas elsewhere in Australia. It opens 11 April and runs for 2 hours and 12 minutes. (About 32 minutes too long in my view.)

Trailer here.

ALICE FRASER - Melbourne International Comedy Festival

To a room of about 70 people, Alice Fraser appeared to deliver a show that thrilled some and bored others. It was a bit of a strange one, to be honest.

She mentioned that she’d been bitten by a spider and was having a strange reaction and when she first mentioned it I assumed it was a gag but the longer the show went, the more I thought perhaps she was serious. She referred to being able to “see eight audiences right now”, that the show had got off to a wobbly start and then later that the show was “falling apart” which didn’t help the audience feel that sense of control that allows you to sit back, relax and enjoy.

For some in the crowd there seemed to be plenty of laughs. The show is called “Mythos” and some of the material about stories, truth, lies and myths drew loud laughs from a little group of people behind me but there was people either side of me who couldn’t seem to get into it. I fell somewhere in between.

I feel like this is a show that when everything goes right and with a room full of the right people (those who like gear that’s a bit complicated and high brow) it would kill. But unfortunately that’s not what happened on the night I was there.

Get the details of Alice’s show here.

KIRSTY WEBECK - Melbourne International Comedy Festival

You might not have heard of Kirsty but this is her fifth Melbourne International Comedy Festival show and this experience shows. Her show “Chipper” is an hour of solid, very funny stand-up comedy.

Kirsty has an affable, laconic style that her audience, with whom she occasionally bantered well, seemed to really enjoy. She brings quite mundane things to life well with a long bit about how hilly Brisbane is delivering plenty of laughter being a good example.

This show got better and funnier as it went along. Towards the end, some gear about a bush walk absolutely killed.

If I were in the business of giving stars I reckon I’d put this at about 3.5; well worth the ticket price.

Get the details of Kirsty’s show here.

AARON GOCS - Melbourne International Comedy Festival

I’ve thought a lot about what to say about Aaron’s show “Divorced… with children”.

Aaron’s work regularly pops up in my social media feeds and it often makes me laugh - his online stuff paints the picture of very funny guy. I’m not sure how or why that hasn’t translated to his stand-up comedy on this occasion. There was some chuckles here and there but there was just nowhere near enough laughs to get this show off the ground.

You might be wondering if it’s just that I’m not in the target demographic but I took along my nephew who is in his twenties and he also thought it was pretty grim.

There’s more I could say about this show but I don’t think there’s much to be gained from that so I’ll leave it there.

Details of the show here.

DANIELLE WALKER (AUS) - Melbourne International Comedy Festival

It pains me to say it because I loved Danielle’s show last year but unfortunately this year’s effort, “Myths and legends” felt a bit under-cooked. Aside from anything else it’s advertised as running 60 minutes but only just made it past 40.

There was definitely still some laughs and I do love the way she chuckles at her own punchlines in such a girl-next-door kind of way, but there just wasn’t enough joy in this show for me to recommend you rush out and see it. She lost her place/train of thought a couple of times and talked about being on auto-pilot eight shows into the run without much sleep. If that’s an issue eight shows in, it’s going to be a long couple of weeks ahead.

I was reminded yet again this festival that there’s something to be said for just standing at a mic and talking funny when I couldn’t see the screen she was using because I was behind a tall person and couldn’t lean too far sideways to see it without being a creep to the person next to me.

This isn’t a bad show but I don’t think it’s Danielle at her best. My nephew came with me to this show and he was disappointed too, also knowing how great she was last year. Hopefully she can iron out some kinks as the festival progresses. Get the details here.

RHYS NICHOLSON - Melbourne International Comedy Festival

I’ve never been disappointed by a Rhys Nicholson show and this year’s “Nice People Nice Things Nice Situations” is no exception. In fact, he’s better than ever. This show is absolute gold! My twenty-something nephew said at the end “Wow, that was next level” and it sure was.

This is rapid-fire laugh after laugh based on some searing and at times shocking observations and incidents. Don’t miss Rhys Nicholson! Get the details of the show here.

LUKE HEGGIE - Melbourne International Comedy Festival

Gosh I loved this show. In a way it’s something I’ve seen plenty of before - a white man at a mic - but in other ways he’s unlike any comedian I’ve seen before. Luke Heggie is in complete control every minute he’s on stage. Early on he invites the audience to wander to the bar for drinks, to the bathroom etc, noting that it won’t distract him at all and I believe it. This guy knows his material perfectly and clearly doesn’t take any shit; do whatever you want but he’ll forge ahead knowing no one has the power to derail this thing.

To a room of about 50 people, Luke talked cafe culture, holiday homes, true crime podcasts, Australians in Bali and more. They sound like familiar topics but Luke’s takes on them are full of hilarious surprises. I really laughed loads in this show and highly recommend it.

On a practical note, the room he plays at European Bier Cafe is hot and the chairs a pretty uncomfortable so brace yourself but the laughs are of course an effective distraction!

Get the details of Luke’s show here.

DAMIEN POWER (AUS) - Melbourne International Comedy Festival

This is a top notch show that brings loads of laughter. Damien declares from the outset that he’s trying to make his material lighter than in previous shows and he uses the contrast between this and his natural inclination to be quite dark really cleverly.

He talks about the contrast between he and his brothers and family politics with his dad, wealth inequality, conspiracy theorists, peacocking men and reflects on what he values and has been striving for. It’s a bloody hilarious ride! I loved this show and so did the friend I saw it with.

I’ve seen Damien’s shows in the past and never been disappointed. He’s a really talented stand-up comic and this show is up there with his best, which is a high bar indeed. Happily recommending you get along to this one!

Get the details of Damien’s shows here.

STEPH TISDELL (AUS) - Melbourne International Comedy Festival

This show “The Pyramid” was pretty hilarious in spite of poor Steph clearly being quite ill as well as some tech problems.

The audience of about 40 people (packed in way too tight but that’s not her fault!) laughed enthusiastically as Steph mined various pyramids (think the food pyramid and Maslow’s heirarchy of needs, for example) for comedy gold. She touches on the confidence of white men, time spent in Africa doing aid work and vanity on social media along the way, each bit funny enough to have her laughing along with us which was completely charming.

The heat of the room added to her obvious discomfort (she was, by her own observation, really sweaty and had a pretty croaky voice) and some tech problems with her projector/screen set up derailed things for five minutes or so but Steph handled the whole thing admirably. It speaks volumes that when the tech issues were resolved the room cheered - everyone was clearly willing her on.

This is a terrific show and well worth the $20-25 ticket price. Steph is destined for bigger and better things so get on board now while tickets are still as cheap as chips!

Get the details of Steph’s show here.

JOSH SZEPS (AUS) - Melbourne International Comedy Festival

Josh Szeps is a natural with a microphone, no doubt. I’d bet my house that he’s delivered at least five cracking best man speeches at weddings and MCd a bunch too.

This show lifts the lid on how and why we’re so addicted to our mobile phones and social media and some of it is really interesting. The problem is that too large a proportion of the material was more interesting than it was funny. He calls out intellectual superiority and sanctimonious posturing online which I dug (*squirms*) but I suspect it made the audience too uncomfortable to laugh at times. Discomfort-inducing comedy can be really powerful but I just don’t think there was enough big laughs from this material to pull that off.

The show was beset by problems with the projector, screen and audio he was using and whilst Josh took it in his stride by and large, it was certainly unhelpful and distracting. I hope that can be sorted out to make the delivery smoother for future shows.

The friend I saw this with said she felt like it was more of a TED Talk than a comedy show and I tend to agree. It’s not that the show isn’t good - there’s a lot to enjoy - it’s that I’m not convinced it belongs in a comedy festival. It would help to end the show on a big laugh rather than what felt like a pretty preachy note, I suspect.

Josh is a great raconteur and if you’re interested in a witty and at times alarming look at what social media is doing to us, then this one’s for you. If you’re after big belly laughs, not so much.

Get the details of Josh’s show here.

PS. If Josh’s voice feels familiar it might be because he’s a regular on ABC TV, radio and podcasts but it might also be, as it was in my case, because it’s so damn similar to that of his father, Henri Szeps! I kept thinking to myself, he sounds so much like the guy from Mother and Son*, and once I googled it I knew why!

*I didn’t know I knew Henri’s voice so well until this moment!

ANNE EDMONDS (AUS) - Melbourne International Comedy Festival

Have you ever heard the expression ‘they’ve got funny bones’? You know, that one applied to people that just seem to be funny to the core and you know would be bloody great company over a few wines at dinner? Ladies and gentlemen, I present Anne Edmonds.

You might recognise Anne from the TV shows Have You Been Paying Attention? or Get Krack!n and there’s a reason she pops up so regularly; she’s bloody hilarious.

Anne is playing a pretty big room at the Melbourne Town Hall this year and it’s testament to her skill and popularity. She’s a natural when chatting to the crowd, beautifully physical when it helps nail a punchline and just completely at ease on stage, cruising with the microphone telling really funny stories. She turns the mundane (someone choking on a waffle in a cafe and road rage) into the hilarious.

Anne’s show “What’s wrong with you?” is well worth a look. Get the details here.

CASSIE WORKMAN (AUS) - Melbourne International Comedy Festival

Cassie Workman’s show “Giantess” is funny, poignant and interesting. What more could you want?!

Cassie recently returned to stand-up having started transitioning from a man (accomplished stand-up comedian Michael Workman) to a woman in 2017. I mention this only because it’s highly relevant to the show, which explores the complex situation of your gender identity not matching your body. I know that sounds heavy and of course it is in a way but that’s the incredible beauty of this show - Cassie somehow manages to talk about this in a funny and charming way. I also learnt a bit too but don’t let that put you off if it’s not usually your cup of tea!

The narrative of the show is a fairytale of sorts featuring a troll and the giantess. This is an incredibly funny and clever show but it’s also poignant in a light way that will move you.

The one practical criticism I have of the show is that the chairs were in rows where each person is directly in front/behind, rather than alternating so people’s heads are between each other giving a clear line of sight. I had a fairly tall person sitting in front of me (and I’m fairly tall myself!) and his head entirely blocked my view of the screen on stage Cassie was using. I couldn’t really lean over without clanging heads with the people next to me so I basically missed most of the laughs that were generated by the on-screen material.

Get the details of Cassie’s show here.

NATALIE HARRIS (AUS) - Melbourne International Comedy Festival

This show, “Babycino”, is Natalie’s fifth solo stand-up comedy show and it’s a really funny look at her experiences as a waitress. You know how people can be real jerks? She’s seen it all and turned it into some gold.

There was about 15 people in the audience when I saw Natalie and I was struck by what a natural she is on stage and how she deserves to be playing much bigger rooms.

The waitress material was good but it was her material about video stores that really killed and the stuff about dating apps was solid despite it being well-worn territory. It all would have benefited from more people in the room to bring the laughs to life.

Natalie knew her material really well and the show went by quickly which is always a sign that you’ve been engaged.

For me this is probably a 3.5 star show and worth the pretty cheap ticket price.

Get the details of Natalie’s show here.

JUDITH LUCY (AUS) - Melbourne International Comedy Festival

The master. We laughed and laughed and laughed. Do not miss this show.

Details here.

NINA OYAMA (AUS) - Melbourne International Comedy Festival

This is Nina’s debut comedy festival show. There’s a bucket-load of potential here but it’s early days and she’s not living up to it just yet.

She had a good audience size of about 25 given it’s her first show at the festival thanks to appearances on Utopia and Tonightly, I presume. I got the feeling the audience was urging her on; we wanted her skill to match her undeniable enthusiasm.

Nina stumbled along the way, just in the way you’d expect from someone trying something bloody difficult for the first time, but the source material of formative years living in Bathurst and racking up 13 driving offenses was a goldmine she often tapped effectively.

I hate to get too armchair psychologist about it but I suspect the person Nina needs to believe she’s good at stand-up is Nina herself. More than once she put herself down with comments like, “don’t worry, this will be over soon”. They were throw-away lines but they were reflections of self-doubt that reminded us she wasn’t always nailing it.

I reckon in about five or ten years we’ll be talking about Nina in the way we talk about the likes of Celia Pacquola. For now the potential is there, she just needs loads more flying hours ‘til we’re safe in her hands, and she trusts that we’re safe in her hands.

Get the details of Nina’s show here.

TITUS O'REILY (AUS) - Melbourne International Comedy Festival

I follow Titus on social media and listen to his podcast so I really like the cut of his jib. His sharp and funny observations about sport (and to a lesser extent politics) are some of the best going round.

That’s part of the reason it pains me to say that I didn’t love this show “Better Living Through Sport”. It’s certainly not a bad show but to be frank I didn’t laugh that much and I wasn’t alone. He made lots of witty observations but they’re the kind of thing you get from him for free all year round on social media and his podcast “Titus and Sergio’s Variety Hour”. Observations that make you smile or even chuckle but not often cack yourself laughing like lots of comedy festival-goers would hope. The contrast between what was going on in his room and the neighbouring room, from which raucous laughter bled through the walls, was stark.

The friend I saw this with isn’t a Titus fan like me (as in she didn’t know of him, not doesn’t like him) so I was really curious to know what she thought. I think her view can be summarised by her observation that “there’s a point at which sarcasm becomes intellectual snobbery”.

I reckon if you’re a fan of Titus you’ll get exactly what you’d expect and hope for in this show - a bunch of witty and clever observations about sport and the AFL especially. If you’re a fan of comedy and want big LOLZ, I don’t reckon this is the show for you.

Get the details of Titus’ show here.

LESSONS WITH LUIS (AUS) - Melbourne International Comedy Festival

Wow. What a ride!

If you’ve never heard of Lessons with Luis, it’s a unique concept. It’s hard to explain to be honest but Luis is a character played by a very talented comic actor and Luis’ brother Luelin also features in this show. (Past shows have included Luis’ dad, a neighbour and others, I think.)

In this year’s MICF show “Stickin’ Together”, Luis and Luelin are working on a sitcom. The show includes plenty of slapstick which appeals to me as well as some baffling - in a funny way - songs. The image of Luis dressed as a salt shaker is emblazoned on my memory and still makes me smile the next day.

I think the thing about Lessons with Luis is that you’re either on board or not. If you’re familiar with Lessons with Luis and enjoy the style of comedy then I reckon you’ll get exactly what you want from this. If you’re not but are open-minded and curious, I’d suggest spending a little time on their YouTube page to establish whether it’s your cup of tea or not.

The friend I saw it with said it reminded her of “a combination of The Mighty Boosh and Julian Clary”, with inspiration from early 90s comedy. If you have even a passing knowledge of TMB and Julian Clary you’ll know how out of left field that combination is. Welcome to Lessons with Luis! Madness!

I laughed lots in this show but often in a ‘what on earth is going on?’ kind of way. If you’re a bit adventurous and want to try something that’s definitely not someone just standing at a mic talking, give this a whirl.

Get the details of Lessons with Luis here.