The Spanish Club closes its doors to the outside world and it is taken back into the bosom of the Spanish people of Melbourne this week and it will be sorely missed by Melbourne’s comedy community. With its warm wood panelling, faded red velvet and gold tassels it has provided a charmingly tatty elegance that suited cabaret style comedy in particular. When so many comedy nights happen in tiny smoke filled bars with bad sight lines and uninterested drinking regulars, a largish smoke free venue with a proper stage and wings, space for tables and chairs and yummy food brought to your table was remarkable. My favourite memories will include Tripod’s Pod August nights and The Oyster Club. Last Wednesday the Oyster Club team said a fond farewell to its venue with perhaps the best variety comedy night I have attended this year.
‘Nana’s Cardigan Party’ was a fundraiser to help fund “Asher Treleaven”:comic, “Andrew McClelland”:comic, “Lawrence Leung”:comic and “Kate McLennan’s”:Kate+McLennan:comic trip to Edinburgh. Lawrence was the only one who could not perform that night as he was stuck in the NSW floods while on the Comedy Roadshow. Asher hosted in his inimitable poncy style, in white tie and tails. Andrew provided plates of biscuits and lollies for everyone, in keeping with the grandma theme and introduced us to a new character. Kate gave us the yummy taster plate version of her superlative award winning The Debutante Diaries.
The supportive guests appearing that night were exceptional. Beginning with those smashing English Gents from La Clique who are one of the best acrobatic acts I’ve ever seen. Every aspect of their work has been meticulously studied to suit their aptly reserved characters and to make the performance surprising and funny. They were followed by the equally world class “Frank Woodley”:Lano+&+Woodley:comic making a rare solo stand-up appearance and providing some rather amusingly back-handed inspiration to younger comedians hoping to conquer Edinburgh. “Sista She”:comic really impressed me. The sound for their first number was extremely muddy and after bravely coping, Rasheda stopped the show to make light of the situation and the girls dropped their characters for a while proving what professional, talented entertainers they truly are. They read the audience correctly and dealt with the problem in a disarming and humorous way winning over the room triumphantly. They went on to do their inner thigh song which was wonderful in every way.
The headlining act was the invincible “Tripod”:comic treating us to two new gorgeous songs, the best song from their Festival show (a naughty sea shanty) and Lingering Dad/Theme from MASH guy. What more could a comedy punter ask for? A top night that won’t be easily forgotten, in a venue that will also linger fondly in the memory.
Keep an eye out in The Groggy Squirrel for the Oyster Club’s return, sometime after the Edinburgh Festival, the new venue will be at Toff of the Town.