2008 Melbourne Comedy Festival Reviews

Alien Sex Party

At first glance, the title Alien Sex Party may seem too out there to adhere a theme to a show, merely being a wacky title attached to a greatest hits package of stand up. Xavier Michelides has somehow managed to make such a title actually make some sense in the context of the material he performs.

A hilarious recorded introduction covered the alien part of the equation which, through some seamless segues and seemingly unrelated stories, somehow led into some brilliant routines on sex. Parties became a recurring theme throughout the remainder of the show in all its forms, from childhood birthday parties, weddings to dinner parties. Xavier had brilliant linking material that got him from one idea to the other that seemed to be almost in a stream of conscienceness format, but on closer inspection it was all tied together into one cohesive routine that took us to a destination.

Aside from the introduction this show was just Xavier on stage with a microphone, not that he really needed any other devices to keep us entertained. He commanded the stage with total confidence and kept us entertained with his words alone. He could make even the most mundane or repulsive material palatable with his enthusiastic, slightly cheeky delivery. He made it look so effortless.

In the course of his short tales, Xavier employed some wonderful vocal impressions that, although not entirely accurate, were amusing in their execution as well as his deconstruction of them. He toyed with theatrical conventions at times, especially in his warped, schizophrenic conclusion to the show. He also had an interesting method of performing some of his call backs in the routines, preferring to do them not too long after the initial reference ensuring that the comment was still fresh in the audience’s mind.

Alien Sex Party was a brilliant show that contained non stop laughs. He took us to many different places and we willingly came along for the journey with glee.

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