R30
18/05/2006 - 20/05/2006
Production Details
Missed the latest episode of Desperate Housewives? Don’t worry, five funny women are ready to fill the gap, live, in Wellington in the upcoming Oddfellows International Laugh Festival.
Unlike the TV characters, our home grown comedians are neither desperate nor housewives. Fifi Colston, Cathie Sheat, Lynne Smith, Caroline E. Waltz and Lorraine Wards’ talents stretch far beyond the kitchen sink. You’re more likely to see them acting, storytelling, appearing in the Drag Kings, World of Wearable Art and stand up comedy. Running around in a pinny and a pair of pink Marigolds, or shagging the gardener, is not their run of the mill routine. They save those sorts of things to talk about on stage.
Working together as R30, Stand Up comedy for People Who Would Rather Have a Nice Lie Down, they’ve been making audiences laugh for the past year with their off-centre brand of humour. Once again they‘ve combined their curious comedy in a brand new show which will have you rocking with mirth.
So don’t be desperate, book now for a night out with R30 at BATS!
Theatre , Comedy ,
1hr
Gentle blend
Review by John Smythe 19th May 2006
Presumably it’s called R30 because anyone younger just wouldn’t get it, let alone be interested. Five women well past their "use me" dates take turns at the stand-up mic to give us the low-down on what it’s like to be them.
As Mistress of Ceremonies Lynn Smith gets good laughs with her droll observations of life after Derek, her late husband. He’d wooed her not so much through a whirlwind romance as a persistent breeze.
Lorraine Ward shares her single life in an apartment block in a strangely hypnotic de-animated style, making no eye contact whatever with the BATS audience (an extraordinary achievement in itself) as she stares fixedly at her well-crafted lines in space.
Illustrator and Wearable Artist Fifi Colson takes us down the Mum road more with a livelier tone that actually gets fewer laughs. More confidence should fix that.
Caroline E Waltz mines her tried and true sex, menopause and female hormones territory to reasonably good effect, winning on phrasing and delivery even where the material is a bit tired.
Cathy Sheat segues deftly from bird flu through career choices to cats before taking us to a finale involving anti-wrinkle cosmetics for the nether regions.
All in all an all right night if you like you comedy like your tea: a bit on the weak side, not too sweet, blended with a gentle stirring that’s unlikely to bring the house down.
Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer
Comments