Josh Glanc: Family Man
Monkey Barrel 1 • Fringe 2024 ★★★★
Overflowing with goofy charm, Josh Glanc bounds onto the stage in a crop-top and begins singing an earnest song about being reminded of the beautiful day when he met his wife, as she gave him a breathalyser test. His act is a spiralling flurry of music and crowd work, peppered with jokes that are hilariously absurd, continually catching us aback with their clever observations and nutty perspectives. Each extended gag is underscored with a musical track, to the extent that if he presses the wrong button, the show takes off in a direction that's unexpected even to him.
He also continually repeats musical numbers with amusing variations. For example, each time he decides to restart the show and launches into his opening number, the circumstances around meeting his wife are dramatically different. Meanwhile, he deploys puppy-dog expressions and playful accents expertly, most notably when switching back and forth between old and young versions of himself. Everything is blissfuly bonkers as he searches the crowd for fellow silly billies, cheeky monkeys and, well, sluts, which leads into an explosion of evangelistic zeal.
While the jokes feel like they are coming in at random, there's still a wonderful flow to the show, a kind of deranged internal logic that finds underlying resonance. Bits involving threatening letters, lanyards and Domino pizza deals spin in riotously messy directions, as does a moment when he gets a bit overeager to take photographs of three hot, up-for-it guys from the front row. Best of all, Glanc peppers the show with personal anecdotes, relatable details that offer a glimpse into his soul. So it's a joy to get caught up in his escalating mayhem.
details: JOSH GLANC • 13.Aug.24
with Tim Lancaster
Gilded Balloon Patter House, Downstairs • Fringe 2024 ★★★★★
Even when a show spins wildly out of control, Michelle Brasier is one of the funniest comedians working today, completely owning the stage with her larger-than-life personality, lightning-quick wit and monster talent. As in her 2023 Fringe show https://shadowsontheweb.blogspot.com/2023/08/fringe-michelle-brasier-monet-x-change.html, she takes the audience on a hugely entertaining journey through an extended story that spins off down various sideroads while also tapping into some surprisingly meaningful themes. Not that she ever appears to be taking this seriously.
At the centre of this show, Brasier is imagining the versions of herself that she could have been if she made different decisions over the course of her life. This is sparked when she discovers another Michelle Brazier (with a z) in Melbourne and tries to sort out a misunderstanding while travelling to America for a comedy festival and dealing with an excruciating and very personal physical issue (which she describes in outrageous detail). She also realises that she would like to leave some sort of legacy to a little girl, even though she doesn't want a child of her own.
As before, Brasier is joined on-stage by partner Tim Lancaster, who plays guitar and expertly voices other characters in her stories (including himself). Meanwhile, her punchines are flying so quickly that many are lost in her exuberance, which makes the entire show panic-strikingly funny. She also has a belting singing voice, and her songs are both amusing and knowing, most notably a power ballad about being a proud millennial until a new generation came along ("What about Y2K?" she laments). With each frantic narrative layer, she pulls us in deeper, leading to a gorgeous payoff.
details: MICHELLE BRASIER • 13.Aug.24
with Laura Daniel, Joseph Moore
Pleasance Courtyard, Two • Fringe 2024 ★★★★
From New Zealand, pop duo Two Hearts (aka Laura Daniel and Joseph Moore) arrive on-stage still celebrating their marrweddingiage a few months ago back home, singing about how fabulous the big event was. They've even repurposed the decorations to create the set for this show. And they note that nothing about their lives has actually changed since they got married. What follows is a cleverly constructed journey into their relationship, which is sweet, silly and just a little bit dark, all accompanied by boisterous songs and comedy antics. This is a full-on party of a show.
With huge smiles and seemingly boundless energy, their earnest joy begins to reveal flickers of other emotions along the way. A kiss-cam roves joyfully through the audience until Joseph spots someone kissing Laura (full disclosure: it was me) and explodes with jealousy. Their sharp banter continually adds offbeat angles on their relationship, with razor-sharp throwaway gags and a series of properly banging tunes, choreographed to perfection. All of this moves at a blinding pace that keeps them (and us) slightly out of breath. And we never have a clue what's coming next.
Laura and Joseph speak about how they fell in love while performing the only love song they've ever sung together, creating a problem with HR ("I'm HR," Laura chirps). And they use other songs to travel through their past eras, including Laura's under-dressed winter club nights and Joseph saving money by avoiding the dentist. Another number triumphs their valiant efforts around climate change ("Dolphins, you're welcome"), although they can't resist a holiday in another country, especially one with a good war museum. These songs are almost criminally catchy. But it's their messy affection for each other that really wins us over.
details: TWO HEARTS • 13.Aug.24
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