As this is the last issue of the year I asked some of members of Team Squirrel to reflect on some of their favourite moments, people and performances in the world of comedy for 2005…
Lisa Clark
Discovering Tim Minchin during the Comedy Festival. Spending the night at the Local with Fleety at the helm – having just learned that Paul Hester had died. It felt so fitting to be in his beloved St Kilda having a laugh in the heart of Melbourne’s comedy community. Kitson’s brilliant comeback in explaining the story of how he came to get into trouble for referring to a female journalist as a “Vapid Whore”, at the Festival Club – ‘I’m not a misogynist – I’m a Misanthrope, I don’t discriminate, I hate everyone!!!’ Meeting The Goodies. Cliffy Withheld explaining how the Hell’s Angels brought their lawyer along for a friendly chat about copyright which resulted in the title of his show being changed and all the printed material being altered. Easter Sunday – My only Easter Egg given to me by Postie’s partner from a little basket as I went in and then feeling like I went to Easter Service. The Gospel according to Sue- Anne. Brilliant. Dark Jester putting the Mirth into Goth. Experiencing the teaming up of Andy McClelland with Richard (little dickie) McKenzie at the Local.
Colin Flaherty
Best new room: A tie between “Character Comedy” & “The Wrong Night”. Both breathed new life into stand up. Best Post Gig entertainment: After MCing at the Local, Duff invited the audience across the road to hit apples with a stick. Many apples died that night! Favorite Fringe Show: “I heart Racism”. It was so wrong it was fantastic. Nice to see Dave acting mostly as straight man. Favorite Comedy Festival Show: “Die on your feet”. An excellent play by Fleety. Funniest rock album: “Bang, Bang, Rock & Roll” by Art Brut. Humour in Modern Art: In his video art installation ” Videoart: The Iberoamerican Legend”, Martin Sastre battled to the death with american video artist Mathew Barney. Martin transformed into a Japanese manga character while Mathew into Barney the Dinosaur.
Ari Sharp
The crisp coolness of winter nights in Melbourne is well known to many a comedy festival punter. As queues of chilly festival-goers spiral around the various entrances to Comedy HQ at the Melbourne Town Hall, there was the usual array of comedians desperately handing out flyers to draw a big enough crowd for their mother to not think of them as a dismal failure. Dressed appropriately for the chills were the folks from The Third Degree, debuting at their festival with their show Eskimos With Polaroids and looking splendid in their Eskimo gear as they chatted, photographed and generally charmed a curious comedy throng. Needless to say, desperately working the queues is a tough but necessary task for emerging performers. Fast forward six months, and the boys and girls from the Third Degree have made it to the big time. Late night sketch comedy on Ten, the freedom to say the f-word on television and a chance to amuse an audience beyond the hangers-on at the Kaleide Theatre on Swanston Street. A real life Comedy Festival success story. The very thought fills the heart with joy.
Lou Pardi
In 2006 Lou loved raindrops on roses, and whiskers on kittens, The Six’ mussel sketch (wrong but.. oh so wrong!!), Michael Chamberlin’s wheelchair olympics bit at Comic’s Lounge, Birdmann and Ross Noble at Festival, Melbourne during Festival in general, talking to the good interviewees of thesquirrel, hanging at Muse, that amazing night at Exford where the crowd listened. These are a few of my favourite things…
Annette Slattery
Tommy, Dave Thornton, ...Watching Sam Simmons evolve into one of the most interesting comedians on the Melbourne stage… Helen Thorn, Charlie, ...Seeing Justin Heazlewood play Yahtzee with a member of the audience for several minutes as part of his set… Chambo, Sammy J... Bicey, Bicey, and more Bicey... Nelly, Tanya,... Adam Vincent having an awkward moment with a midget…Monica, Cal... Russell Fletcher’s triumph at Fringe… Tim Minchin talking over the world… Josh, Halley, ...Many drunken Sundays at Stagetime… Many drunken Mondays at The Local… Dave Bushell, Justin Hamilton, Geraldine Hickey glowing during fringe… Justin Kennedy, Little Dickie McKenzie ...Andy McClelland impersonating a cat… Eddie, Michael Connell... Christina Adams winning best newcomer at Comedy Festival… ...Andrea Powell as Ethel Chop…Matt Elsbury, Adrian Callear, ,...Rod Quantock chasing a tram down Carlisle St… b