Is Nick Cadaye the Svengalis of Melbourne sketch comedy? After his time as the grumpy, disapproving element in The Anarchist Guild Social Committee and this endevour, he probably is.
Nick has assembled a cast of nine performers, most of whom are new faces to my eyes, to perform an hour of sketches. With the girls attired in formal wear and the guys in tuxedos, it gave the show a classy yet disturbing air. Mr Cadaye himself did not appear on stage but he maintained a menacing control of proceedings through voice overs and a stern portrait perched atop an easel.
In keeping with the shows’ title and late time slot, Mr Nick’s Theatre of the Damned primarily explored the darker side of life, often straying into the absurdist realm. Plenty of references were made to movies, TV, classic comedy and other forms of pop culture with even Shakespeare getting a look in. Some of the topics were a little niche but there was plenty to keep everyone entertained. If one sketch didn’t appeal another would soon follow. Although one piece alluded to Nick’s involvement in the writing it was not clear to what extent, this joke was possibly a brief moment of the puppets rebelling against their master.
The sketches themselves were solid and hit the mark comedically, the few weaker jokes were soon overshadowed by the stronger ones that followed. A number of them relied on very long build ups of straight text before hitting a punchline which was somewhat impressive in the delivery and use of suspense. Those familiar with the source materials could gain a few extra chuckles of recognition during the lead up but others may have found their attention wandering while waiting for the payoff. Some wonderful interludes were employed between sketches that served as a creative method of changing the title cards that announced each piece.
The cast performed the show with ease, utilising minimal props and silly accents to convey the scenes. Aside from the movement of chairs before sketches, this bare bones approach made for a briskly paced show with minimal periods of blackened stage. All were confident in their performances and were impressive in their reciting of the huge slabs of text they were sometimes required to deliver.
This Theatre of the Damned was a great sketch show that continued in the spirit of The Anarchists. The employment of a theme created a brilliant atmosphere and allowed them to take the material into interesting territory, making a much more satisfying experience than a random collection of sketches.
For more info and booking details go to the Melbourne Fringe Festival website