Hugging Comedians

Comedy Big Time at Howler, 1 November 2017

11/1/2017

On 1 November 2017, I had my first experience of Comedy Big Time at Howler (located at 7-11 Dawson Street, Brunswick). Comedy Big Time is supported by Mountain Goat Beer, which means the night is free. No entrance fee, no donations required at the end, it’s free so you can sit back, sink a drink and enjoy a Howler Burger.

Howler is a great spot for a cheeky beer before the gig with a quality open area to wait in before the doors opened at 7pm. The theatre/stage area is well set up, with numbered tables for burger deliveries and some large booths at the back for bigger groups. There’s no bad seat in the house with the stage well above eye-line. If there’s any downside to the venue it is the acoustics. While the audience has no issue hearing the comedian onstage, they equally have no issue hearing other punters having a chinwag around the venue or at the bar to the side.

The night kicked off around 7:40pm and featured a packed line-up including Mike Goldstein (MC), Matt Stewart, Laura Dunemann, Demi Lardner, Alasdair Tremblay-Birchall, Angus Gordon and Anne Edmonds.

Mike Goldstein kicked off the night and warmed up the packed house. Mike did well to break the ice with a surprisingly shy audience and was at his best when he pushed the audience’s limits. Matt Stewart followed, full of energy, as he proposed his moneymaking ideas. There is something charming about Matt’s relaxed onstage persona. It helps build rapport but also allows him to maintain control over his set.

Two comedians who took their sets in different directions were Alasdair Tremblay-Birchall (ATB) and Angus Gordon. ATB put forward a revealing piece that provided an eye opening insight into his life. He kept it light and was charming as he showed off more than I was expecting. In contrast, Angus delivered a dark yet understated set. While not my favourite style of comedy, Angus performed jokes at a slow cadence that resonated well even when touching on some left-field ideas.

Headliner Anne Edmonds did well as she returned to the stand-up stage following the success of her television show ‘The Edge of The Bush’. Anne performed honest comedy, demonstrating her experience as she drew laughs out of well-performed characters and some animated facial expressions. Another comedian who drew from personal stories was Laura Dunemann. Laura’s comedy was imminently relatable as she discussed tales of her family. Her style feels genuine and not forced, which makes the reveals all the better.

The standout and personal favourite of the night was Demi Lardner, who closed out the first bracket with enthusiasm. Demi interwove some well-tested material alongside high-energy and eye-catching pieces that received a great response from the crowd. Demi had full commitment to the bits and had the audience fully engaged and laughing.

Check out Comedy Big Time at Howler on the first Wednesday of every month. Follow them on Facebook for more information.

Rochester Comedy, 17 August 2017

8/17/2017

I missed this. Sure, Netflix (and another streaming services) at home and out of the cold have their merits but live stand-up comedy is a different beast.

On 17 August, I revisited an old favourite in Rochester Comedy, a free comedy night upstairs at the Rochester Hotel. Rochester Comedy is a weekly comedy night held on Thursdays that is accessible for seasoned comedy goers and novices alike. On this night we saw the talents of Peter Jones (MC), Joe Shaffer, Brianna Williams, Bart Freebairn, Laura Dunemann, Izzy Ali and headliner, Fiona O’Loughlin.

Peter Jones, our MC for the night, guided us through a packed night of comedy. He has settled into his style and consistently performs quality sets. Peter’s a good MC and ran a tight night packed with talent.

Two comedians with contrasting but equally enjoyable styles were Joe Shaffer and Bart Freebairn. Joe opened up with a haunting impression that stuck with the audience. His giggly style complemented deceptively deep social commentary. Bart kept it light and brought consistent laughs covering many relatable issues from travel to home comforts.

For something a bit different, Brianna Williams performed a short sketch in the lead up to her 2017 Melbourne Fringe Festival Show ‘Mummy’. After seeing her 2017 Melbourne International Comedy Festival show ‘La Petite Merde’, it’s clear Brianna is uncompromising and commits to a bit whether it is a festival show or just a short piece in a pub.

Laura Dunemann delivered a delightful set, based on seemingly real experiences. Laura’s style is disarming and often surprises audiences, particularly if they haven’t seen her perform before. Izzy Ali followed and performed one of the best sets I’ve seen him put together. He opened and closed strongly, performing with a relaxed ease.

And finally, Fiona O’Loughlin is a gem - a word she may disapprove me using but she performed an awesome set and was the standout for the night. Fiona is honest, a little brutal and occasionally goes too far but doesn’t mind at all. She tells deeply personal stories that capture the entire room’s attention. Fiona has a unique way of covering the things we wish we could say but don’t, closing out the night with waves of laughter.

Thanks Rochester Comedy for another awesome night!

If you are a comedian, get in touch and we can sit down for an interview to talk about comedy. Or if you have a 2017 Melbourne Fringe Festival show you want to talk about or want reviewed, contact Hugging Comedians on Facebook, Twitter or through the website.

Laura Dunemann - 'Flannelette', 6 April 2017

4/6/2017

Laura Dunemann’s 2017 Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF) show ‘Flannelette’ is fun, relaxed and a little bit delightful.

‘Flannelette’ appears to be quite a personal show with many stories and jokes derived from Laura’s experiences. Her friendly enthusiasm and banter with the audience felt genuine as she engaged the crowd on issues including but not limited to, her love of Frasier. While we may disagree completely on the issue of sport, Laura’s material is relatable and is presented in a way that is accessible to the entire audience.

I had seen Laura perform at various comedy nights over the last year, so may have been spoiled on a small bit of the material. That said, I was impressed how she wove this material into a show that felt cohesive and natural.

Laura presents as a hard working and clever comedian. What may appear as a well timed off the cuff remark may indeed be excellent planning and timing on Laura’s behalf. The repetition and some of the cheekier punch lines in her set were particularly well done.

‘Flannelette’ felt unique, with Laura’s personal comedy style a highlight. As one of Hugging Comedians’ picks for the 2017 MICF, Laura did not disappoint!

★★★★

Check out Laura Dunemann in all of the ‘Flannelette’ glory from 30 March to 23 April [no Mondays]. For more information and to book tickets, click here!

If you have a Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF) show you want reviewed or you want to sit down for a chat/interview about it, contact Hugging Comedians on Facebook, Twitter or through the website.

Dirty Secrets Comedy, 15 February

2/15/2017

In the lead up to the 2017 Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF), get in touch if you want your MICF show reviewed or if you want to sit down for a chat/interview about your show! Get in contact on Facebook, Twitter or through the website.

Top night at Dirty Secrets Comedy on 15 February! With a supportive audience behind them, the comedians ran through new and old material that brought consistent laughs throughout the night!

It’s old news now but if you’ve never been, Dirty Secrets Comedy is on every Wednesday at 80 Smith Street Collingwood from 8:30pm, follow them on Facebook or Twitter for all of the details.

On 15 February (in order of performance), we saw: Daisy Berry (MC), Nick Quon, Blake Freeman, Emily Tresidder, Naomi Higgins, Laura Dunemann, Clinton Haines, Peter Jones, Roland Hoffman and Michael Shafar.

Starting from the top, our MC for the night Daisy Berry did a great job. She owns her style and is confident in her delivery. Daisy’s hilarious interactions with audience members are kind but also truthfully brutal. While I had seen some of her set before, the new crowd enjoyed her stories and were enthusiastic to get involved. HUG ACHIEVED.

The well-dressed Nick Quon and the fresh faced but all too experienced Blake Freeman delivered mixed sets that drew good reactions from the crowd. Similarly, Roland Hoffman covered a wide range of issues but really hit his stride when covering jokes based on his own life. The relatable elements of Nick, Blake and Roland’s material resonated well and drew good laughs!

It might be the yoga but whatever Emily Tresidder is doing, it is working well! I’ve only seen Emily perform a handful of times but her delivery and stage presence on 15 February was excellent and greatly improved. She put forward a really enjoyable tight set with a little bonus at the end. Rocking some awesome overalls, Naomi Higgins appeared to relish playing with our emotions. Naomi flips between sweet and dangerously dark dispositions with so much ease, it’s a little unnerving.

Do you want consistency in your stand up comedian? Then look no further than Peter Jones. I have covered this at length, which you can read here, but Peter is a pretty damn good comedian. Though enough about him…. Someone who possibly needs more attention is Laura Dunemann. I can’t quite put my finger on it but there is something about her material and delivery that I really enjoy. Perhaps it’s Laura’s unabashed enthusiasm? Her energy is infectious and her passion for certain TV shows is unparalleled.

Michael Shafar closed out the night well. His consistent confidence and apparent amiability allows him to build rapport quickly with an audience. He approached his set well and incorporated a range of issues into his quick set. As an aside, Michael was also spotted at the end of the night promo’ing his upcoming Melbourne International Comedy Festival show “Jewish’ish” (details here).

Thanks Dirty Secrets Comedy for putting on a cracking night of comedy with a great crowd!

Comedy @ Rochester Hotel, 1 September

9/1/2016

Two word review: Intimate affair
Hugs achieved: x 2

Comedy at the Rochester Hotel (Rochey Comedy) is a fun comedy night held in Fitzroy on Thursday nights from 8:30pm. Rochey is a consistent performer with a bit more of a relaxed/low-key vibe to some other comedy nights in the city. Rochey Comedy last week proved to be another chilled night of comedy. But don’t let the relaxed vibe make you think you’re not getting quality and/or big name comedy!

Before I get onto some of the highlights and standout performers for the night, I’d appreciate you having a read/think about the below. Rochey Comedy is a great venue but so much of your enjoyment of the night can depend on the fellow punters who attend. Because the performance area of the Rochester Hotel is an intimate affair, the performers will hear and see most of what happens during their set. Last Thursday, there were times where the audience was disrespectful to the comedian on stage, interrupting the flow and fun of the night. For example, there were instances of very loud talking mid sets and during one comedian’s performance, audience members tried to record a comedian who specifically asked the audience not to. Comedy nights might not be a regularly thing for some, where they might have just come out for a couple of drinks with mates. Nevertheless, I implore audiences to respect the comedian on stage. Let them do their bit and you’ll have a much better night for it!

Enough of me being a comedy snob… onto the fun stuff!!! On 1 September, we were lucky to have a range of comedians, some with loads of experience, others with notoriety and others who are a little bit of special.

Starting off with those trying out some new stuff, Anthony ‘Lehmo’ Lehmann and Arj Barker showed their experience nailing some fresh material. Separate to the humour itself, seeing how these guys craft their jokes and tell their stories is a delight. Our MC for the night Cameron James kept the night flowing with a jovial attitude and plenty of audience interaction. Cameron is a likeable guy and comedian; he may profit from having more structured material for his bits between sets for more formal gigs but his style worked well for the mood of the night.

I tend to crush on comedians. Not in a ‘romantic sense’ rather I become fascinated with their style and want to understand them in greater depth as performers and people. Personal favourite Laura Dunemann and pocket rocket Demi Lardner fit into this category, two contrasting styles yet each captivating for their own reasons. Laura with a softness to her voice and Demi with bursts of energy throughout her set.

Speaking of dreamy…*cough*…I mean engaging performers, check out Ben Knight. Ben is a friendly guy and in our chat after his performance he acknowledged where he needed to develop his set. I really like Ben’s confidence as it amplifies his comedy but he needs to avoid being overly self-deprecating or getting caught up in bits that aren’t perfect. In contrast, it’s difficult to describe Rob Hunter’s performance as it also takes confidence to pull off this style of comedy but his persona is something very different. Rob nailed the majority of his set and got huge waves of laughter from some clever writing mixed with his apprehensive onstage persona. Oh, and don’t forget… “GOCSY FOR PM”! my fellow punter declared as Internet sensation Aaron Gocs left the stage.

Recommend you come along to Rochey Comedy, grab a beer and some popcorn, be nice to the comedians, and have a great time!

Dirty Secrets Comedy, 3 August

8/3/2016

Two word review: subterraneous entertainment.

Before going to Dirty Secrets Comedy I had no idea basement stand-up could be so good. From the runners who also bring the Sunday laughs at Club Voltaire, Dirty Secrets Comedy is held on Wednesdays, is free entry and kicks off at 8:30pm.

Caz Reitop's Dirty Secrets (80 Smith Street, Collingwood) is a warm venue with prohibition-era/speakeasy-style décor. There’s a decent range of beers and cocktails, on a busy night you might have to wait a bit for your drink, but you will not miss any comedy!

What makes Dirty Secrets Comedy a different experience to other comedy nights is the room. Down two flights of stairs and into the basement is a small room with great acoustics. There is an intimacy to this venue, which compliments mid-week comedy nights; it is tightly packed but not uncomfortable. Just a warning though, if you’re going to slurp your drink in the front few rows, chances are the comedian on stage can hear you!

On 3 August, on a mixed night of stand-up, the runners were able to vary up those who were scheduled to perform with a couple of surprise comedians including runner Peter Jones who continues to impress! Below are a couple of highlights from the night!

Starting with our MC for the evening, Xander Allan did a superb job! Xander is a very funny guy who executed both his rehearsed and adlibs bits well! You know what else I really value in an MC? Diction. Xander was clear and introduced the acts well, keeping the night flowing. It sounds pretty basic but diction and clarity are skills that are sometimes left wanting in environments where inebriants are so prevalent. Without trying to inflate the man’s ego, I would not have any hesitation recommending Xavier as an MC for other gigs around town.

Even when I can’t relate to Laura Dunemann’s content and it gets a little gross, she still makes me laugh. Laura has a sweetness to her voice which is a little disarming and draws you in. This is the third or so comedy night I’ve been to where Laura has been a standout performer, and that’s pretty excellent considering there has been minimal repetition of material.

I appreciate the honesty of Blake “get a Twitter already” Freeman. The youthful comedian, who kind of looks like a mix of Harry Styles and every member of Hanson combined, opened up the night well with some oddly insightful comedy. Without knowing Blake at all, I felt he carefully tread the line between fictional and ‘true-story’ comedy with an apparent genuine onstage persona. Blake shows really good signs of comedic thought process and I’m keen to see how this transitions into a full-length set.

How do you like your puns? Well, the statesman Damian Cosgriff has many to offer and there is sure to be something on the menu you will like! Damian powered out a couple of gems, delivered in an almost nonchalant way which added to the humour of his set. HUG ACHIEVED

As soon as Evan Hocking began his set, I was reminded of the musings of Dave Hughes. Starting off slowly and taking a joke or two to get the audience on board, Evan delivered a thought-out set and executed his joke transitions well. In a brief chat with Evan after the gig, he appeared fully cognisant to areas of improvement for future gigs despite nailing his set.

Thanks Dirty Secrets Comedy for an excellent night!

If you’re a Melbourne-based comedian or just passing through, please get in touch here or on Twitter so we can chat about comedy! Warning, there may be hugs involved.

Tuesday night comedy at The Catfish, 28 June

6/28/2016

Two word review: high-kicking terriers.

A step out of the city, you can make your way to Tuesday night comedy at The Catfish, located at 30-32 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy. As a first timer to the Catfish, the large range of quality beers on tap (including a superb stout) was an excellent surprise! And for those who aren’t partial to that, a decent range of food to nom.

After a quick stroll up the stairs, we were greeted by the friendly Tommy Dassalo, still recovering from The Little Dum Dum Club’s big 3-0-0, paid our $12 entry (spoiler alert: worth it) and found our seats!

Backed by beautiful velour curtain, the stage faces a decent amount of seating, including what appeared to be a couch up front for the lucky pair who chose it! There are no bad seats in the house and you can sit as close or as far away from the stage as you feel comfortable.

Before I get onto some of the highlights of the night, one observation from over the last couple of weeks… Comedians and comedy enthusiasts alike may disagree but the C bomb is not a punch line. There are moments in a set where a comedian may struggle, or where an audience is just not reacting to what is happening on stage, then there is some merit in pulling an audience back into a set through particular language or a hook. A comedian can lose me for a moment if swearing (or in particular the C bomb or another phrase said with aggression) is a critical part of a joke or set. This is not to say swearing does not have a space in comedy or that I am against it. Heck, some of the greatest use it well! Rather, in the same way toilet humour can become a crutch, the C bomb does not need to be Australian comedy’s punch line.

Now, onto the comedy, here are the highlights from 28 June for what was an all-round brilliant night of comedy!

You could not ask for more from Adam Richard as an MC for a gig like Catfish comedy. Adam set some comedy limits early (that there are no limits) and delighted the audience with comedy throughout the night! The two bits about Adam’s MC'ing for the night that I appreciated the most (outside his comedy obviously) were how familiar and supportive he was of the other comedians on the bill, and secondly, his infectious laugh. Throughout the night, you could hear Adam’s cheery laughter from the back, egging on the comedians on stage.

A comedian who this support might have helped was Nick Capper. It’s difficult to comment on comedians you’ve only seen a couple of times but this was one of the better sets I’ve seen Nick do. While it was the same material I had seen before, his calls backs worked well and the confidence he gained from the crowd helped him nail some solid punch lines.

Tom Ballard’s appearance was a particularly agreeable surprise on the bill, and as the first act of the evening! Tom (mostly) appeared to enjoy hitting some nerves in the audience and set out some callback lines for others to follow. He might have been testing some new material, so it will be interesting to see if he keeps the same tone as the jokes develop. Similarly, David Quirk put forward a good short set! I’m still curious what we didn’t get to hear from him but he executed his pre-worked material well!

The Aunty Donna Boys, an entertaining sketch group, got some solid laughs from relatable scenarios! Some of the sketches overly reliant on yelling appeared to lose some of the audience but overall, they connected with the audience well and had decent chemistry with each other.

Laura Dunemann’s high-kicks are completely justified! When I saw Laura on the bill for the night, I was a little bit excited. Was this purely because of her Twitter tagline? Possibly. Outside this humour limited to 25 characters or less, a good friend of mine had praised Laura’s 2016 Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF) show ‘It’s Time For Death’ which I had missed. Laura did not disappoint, particularly when discussing her very infectious passion of a particular TV show. As a sidenote, despite having no interest in this TV show previously, I really wanted to keep talking about it with her. Laura’s style was really engaging and I’m very keen to see more of her stand-up in the future.

Ben Knight delivered the standout performance of the evening. Laura’s high-kicks almost out did him, but with a bit of guitar skills, a dreamy smile and some zingers with melody, Ben won me over. When he arrived on stage, I was not sure what style of comedy to expect, having seen a grand total of zero of his comedy previously. Nevertheless, when he finished his song, I regretted having missed his 2016 MICF show ‘And Then the Music Started’ but I can guarantee from just his short set that I will be there for his 2017 show.

Thanks Catfish Comedy for putting on a great night!

now.. onto the comedy