With so many new rooms opening up in Melbourne over recent months, it’s good to see some people doing something a little bit different. Not only does PHoW feature some top stand up comedians, it also mixes things up with silly segments, short films and guest musicians, all witnessed whilst relaxing on Vibe’s comfy couches and armchairs.
Our hosts for the evening were Danny Alder and Dan Walmsey, with the titular pony, Giselle (in all her pink paper mache glory) overseeing things from the rear of the stage. The boys worked well as tag team MCs and bounced things off each other effortlessly.
A lot of effort has gone into the Audio Visual items used in the show. A couple of filmed segments were played with liberal doses of animation mixed in. I particularly enjoyed the show’s opening sequence which featured Danny and Dan having a wacky time running down Smith Street to Vibe to the funky sounds of “The Make Up”.
The regular segments were great. We had “What would Georgie choose?” which featured Dan’s dog, George, who had to choose between 3 things (last week it was a form of government because George had bought the World) and the audience tried to guess which would be chosen. The “Small News” segment provided Dan with the opportunity to do some satirical stuff on current events. Another interactive part was the “What’s the difference between X and Y ?” The audience suggests two items (last week it was Paris Hilton and Blu Tac) and everyone attempted to come up with the funniest response during the break. The one that was deemed most amusing won it’s writer some PHoW merchandise.
Speaking of merchandise, the guys have gone all out with the PHoW collectables. Through their website www.pinkhorseofwhimsy.com all manner of goodies can be purchased. Several different T shirts, canvas bags, badges and many other objects can be obtained with the PHoW logo.
Last week featured stand up from Cameron Marshall, Geraldine Hickey and Harley Breen. The musical entertainment for the evening was provided by Paul Hannan who sort of tied in with the show’s title by playing a song about wanting to buy a donkey. The short film screened was entitled “Drought” (directed by Aaron Lewis) and although it featured Mark Mitchell, it was a serious drama. The show was quite cruisey and lots of fun. It was a different and enjoyable way to spend a Wednesday night.
This Wednesday (the 22nd of February) is the 5th and final installment of PHoW’s first Season. Although the boys have threatened to return for a Second Season at a later date, they have organized a doozy of a finale. Stand up will be provided by Adam McKenzie and Dean Eizenberg while Cut and Paste Impro will be making stuff up and Man Bites God are providing the tunes. It happens at “Vibe on Smith Street”, starting at 8:30.