What's so funny!?

Getting into the Xmas spirit? Are you embracing your fellow man? Getting gifts for those you love? Buying a duck for an impoverished family in Africa?

Or are you stalking other drivers in car parks of shopping centres? Growling at that lady who grabbed the last Bratz doll deluxe play house?

Well, the latter is probably closer to the reality of Xmas for many of us.

The Santaland Diaries was originally an essay written by humourist David Sedaris about his experience working as an elf in 'SantaLand' at Macy's department store. This Christmas, well known local comic, Russell Fletcher is presenting a monologue of this yuletide tale, where he brings to life ill-tempered parents, overzealous co-workers and bad santas. The show has received good reviews and is on until the 21st of December in Melbourne, so make sure you get down and laugh until egg-nog comes out your nose!

On until December 21

The Hypocrite is a version of Moliere's Tartuffe which has been translated and re-interpreted by Justin Fleming.

Tartuffe is arguably Moliere's most well known play, written and performed in 1664. It was almost immediately censored by King Louis XIV.

This satire stars Kim Gyngell who I thought has been great in Very Small Business and The Librarians, Garry McDonald and Marina Prior.

[From the website]
There’s no better racket than the religion racket and no one knows that racket like Tartuffe. Almost everyone can see what a sanctimonious hypocrite he is, but that doesn’t matter. He only needs a couple of rich and influential suckers who will fall for his holier-than-thou routine and, in old Madame Pernelle and her foolish son Orgon, he’s found them. String them along for long enough and they’ll give him anything he wants: money, power, even the hand of Orgon’s daughter in marriage.

Every time it’s revived, Molière’s 1664 play Tartuffe strikes audiences with its contemporary relevance, probably because the religious hucksterism and bigotry it satirises is always with us. This is Molière at his most diabolically funny.

At the Playhouse in Melbourne
8 Nov - 13 Dec

Menopause The Musical comes to Melbourne on the October 14 at the Athenaeum Theatre. This show started in Florida, 2001, written and produced by Jeanie Linders. The 90-minute show includes 25 re-lyricized tunes from the ‘60s and ‘70s and culminates with a salute to women who are experiencing The Change. A smash-hit around the world, it has been performed in 13 countries around the world to an estimated 13 million people!

[From the website]:
Set in a department store, where four women with seemingly nothing in common but a black lace bra meet by chance, the musical pokes fun at things such as hot flashes, memory loss, mood swings, wrinkles, night sweats and eating binges. The show’s intended message is that menopause is a passage, but it should no longer be The Silent Passage. It is a stage in every woman’s life that is perfectly normal.

Menopause The Musical® encourages a healthy dialogue about issues of aging and women’s health and provides a unique opportunity to raise awareness with female audiences.

At the Athenaeum Oct 14-18
Check ticketmaster.com.au for tickets!

Every year in Melbourne independent artists (both local, interstate and international) come together for the Melbourne Fringe Festival. This year there are nearly 300 shows that will be performed between the 24th of September and the 12th of October. Of these, 56 are comedy performances, such as standup from the likes of Stephen K Amos, puppetry from Sammy J or slapstick in The Last Bucket of Water.

Whatever you’re into, check out the Melbourne Fringe Festival website for more details!

September 24 – October 12

Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show has come to The Comedy Theatre in Melbourne. If you haven’t heard of the show, you’ve perhaps been living under a rock and wondering what someone is talking about when they say “It’s just a jump to the left…”

Originally the show was performed on the West End, Los Angeles, Sydney and Broadway between 1973 and 1975. The film, Rocky Horror Picture Show went on to give the show it’s cult status around the world. There is also talk of a re-make of the film, with the aim of it being released in 2009.

[From ticketek.com.au]
Produced by Dainty Consolidated Entertainment, The Ambassador Theatre Group and Marriner Theatres. Don’t miss the ultimate live party experience – Richard O’Brien's Rocky Horror Show in this brand spanking new production now playing at the Comedy Theatre.

The world’s favourite rock’n’roll musical is back and stars 2007 Helpmann Award-winning actor, ARIA-nominated singer/songwriter iOta as the outrageous Frank N Furter, with Paul Capsis, Tamsin Carroll, Sharon Millerchip, Michael Cormick, Kellie Rode and Andrew Bevis.

Bursting at the seams with timeless classics, including I’m Just A Sweet Transvestite, Damn It Janet, Science Fiction and the pelvic-thrusting Time Warp, this is the show that can’t stop partying.

Currently playing in Sydney, critics have raved about this new Rocky Horror Show.

"Fresh and funny...Rocky Horror is made anew." - The Australian

"There is plenty of raunchy fun to be had in this new production." - Daily Telegraph

Out now!
Get your tickets at ticketek.com.au

Barry Humphries is arguably one of Australia’s most prolific comedy exports. An all round performer, he is no doubt best known for Dame Edna Everage in Australia and the UK. Take the chance to share an evening with Barry Humphries.

[From ticketek.com]
Share an evening with Barry Humphries 'Out of Character' in a unique environment featuring delicious 5-star cuisine complemented by a selection of premium wines. Barry Humphries will take the audience on a journey through his life: on stage, off stage and through the highlights of his career followed by a question and answer session.

One of the most influential and successful Australians, with his astute observational skills and keen cultural radar, Barry Humphries always has something scintillating to say! A shrewd documenter of Australian life, Barry Humphries has been taking our theatrical temperature to extreme for half a century. He is a poet, comedian, artist, actor, singer, dancer, satirist, a family man.

We see and hear the characters and lives of Dame Edna Everage, Sir Les Patterson and Sandy Stone, but what about the man behind it all and his incredible life?

The Dome, Melbourne - Tuesday 30 September
The Tea Rooms, Sydney - Tuesday 7 and Tuesday 14 October
www.ticketek.com

The Melbourne Uni Law Revue has started the career of many a comedian. If you want to see who will be the next D generation, I suggest you take yourself to the Grand Central Hotel and check em out. $14 to enter and all proceeds go to charity.

8pm Friday Aug 8 & 14-16 Aug
Grand Central Hotel 293 Swan St, Richmond

Boeing Boeing is a new stage comedy to be playing in Australia. It is a classic French farce that opened in 1962 and ran for a highly successful 17 years in Paris. It was made into a French movie in 1960, based on the play, and an American version starring Tony Curtis and Jerry Lewis in 1965. It was revived in London in 2007 and has been playing on Broadway as of May 2008.

The Australian version of the play stars Shaun Micallef (Shaun Micallef Program, Newstopia), Sibylla Budd (Secret Life of Us), Rachel Gordon (Neighbours, Home & Away) and Helen Dallimore (Midsomer Murders).

The Plot [From the website]:
In Boeing-Boeing, Bernard an architect living in Paris has been successfully juggling three fiancees who are all flight attendants. Bernard's housekeeper reluctantly plays romantic air-traffic controller as they fly in and out of his swank bachelor pad. But when an old school pal visits, things get rather turbulent! Schedules change, flights are delayed and chaos ensues in this hysterical high-flying fiasco.

On now in Melbourne. Check the site for dates around Australia!

VCA - Victorian College of the Arts (Part of Melbourne University) is a Melbourne institution and going to their productions, you get the chance to see what's being made by Australia's future actors, dancers, producers and directors. Going through their winter guide I came across "Two Classic Comedies"

[From the Pamphlet]
VCA Drama Company 2008 in collaboration with VCA Production presents

TWO CLASSIC COMEDIES

The Fan by Carlo Goldoni and The Feigned Inconstancy by Pierre Marivaux.

Two comedies of love and jealousy and the hilarious havoc that this volatile mixture can cause. Goldoni's The Fan captures all human types, motives and caricatures in a delightful, lively comedy.

In Marivaux's The Feigned Inconstancy, Dorante and the Marquise hatch a plan to pretend to be in love in order to punish their fickle lovers. It all backfires hilariously...

Cost: $20/$12

Bookings & Enquiries: 03 9685 9225 or vca-drama@unimelb.edu.au

On until May 28

Men in Tutus - what could be more risque? Would could be more original? Yes, since the dawn of time it seems that men dressing as women and doing 'womanly' things is funny. It's certain done the Little Britain boys no harm! I'm sure there were cavemen walking around as a 'lady' cracking up their mates!

But, humour is about DELIVERY! Old gags can be made new in the hands of a good comedian, and this is true of the Les Ballets Grandiva. I've been to see two of their shows over the years and have cracked up laughing each time. Sure there's lots of slapstick involved, sure men in tutus can be appealing, but there is more, poking fun at ballet in general, the skill and precision, the overacting - it's great.

From their press release:

Grandiva's "Men In Tutus" is the ultimate send up of both classical and contemporary ballet. The combination of brilliant dancing technique, tongue in cheek and blatant humour with intentional foibles, dancing mishaps and of course hissy fits by men playing both male and female roles (some of the men do actually look like gorgeous women, while others are hairy chested men with pancake makeup but all in tutus etc. dancing on Pointe.)

The largest company of its kind in the world, Grandiva boasts over fifty (50) ballets in its repertoire and twenty (20) of the best international male ballet dancers from thirteen (13) countries. These handsome and beautiful soloists have performed with renowned ballet company's including Russia's Bolshoi and Kirov Ballets, New York Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, The American Ballet Theatre, the prestigious Royal Ballet, The National Ballet of Canada, The Royal Swedish Ballet, Berlin State Opera Ballet, English National Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, Hong Kong Ballet to name a few.

The US website: www.balletsgrandiva.com

Showing all over Oz in September and October

Monty Python's SPAMALOT comes to Australia, firstly at Her Majesty's Theatre in Melbourne from December 4. Not heard of it before? Apparently it's been a huge hit on Broadway and at London's West End. As described on their website:

"Monty Python’s SPAMALOT tells the legendary tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, and their quest for the Holy Grail and features a chorus line of dancing divas, serfs, cows, flatulent Frenchmen, killer rabbits and a legless knight."

The show was written by Pythoner, Eric Idle, and has been running in the States and the UK since 2005 Winning 5 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, the show itself seems to be an irreverent romp through scenes in the films, making many references to Python songs and sketches, and even parodies musical such as Fiddler on the Roof, The Producers and West Side Story.

I hope the Aussie shows are great and if I have a few dollars left at the end of the year, I'll be in line to get a ticket! Time to crack out those DVDs and rewatch those comedy classics!

At Her Majesty's Theatre in Melbourne from December 4