Presented by Matt Byrne Media
Reviewed 9 February 2016
Matt Byrne Media’s annual ‘pub’ comedy Fringe shows are probably as much an Adelaide institution as the Fringe itself. They don’t pretend to be anything but rude, crude (or in this case, crewed) and very funny – nothing deep, symbolic or abstract here.
The Luv Boat is Byrne’s latest laugh fest – the only show in town where you will be ‘lei’ed when entering the venue. The very fishing-net thin plot line revolves around the ‘Off Their Rockers South Seizures Sunset Cruise’ aboard the good ship ‘Unthinkable’ and supervised by Captain Obvious (Matt Byrne), Entertainment Officer Butterfly United (Kim York), Assistant Entertainment Officer Sammy Voyage (Stefanie Rossi) and Petty Officer Nerfus Wreck (Marc Clement).
The whole thing is basically a delightful excuse to send-up cruisers of all ages, aging rock stars trying to make comebacks, Titanic, Pirates Of The Caribbean, Gilligan’s Island, and even New Zealanders. When the jokes are good, they are hilarious – when they are bad, they are groaningly funny. The pirate joke segment is a brilliant example of Byrne’s humour working over-time.
Byrne, York, Rossi and Clement give their many portrayals wonderfully corny characteristics: their old age pensioners are classic comedy; their Gilligan’s Island impressions are spot on; and Rossi and Clement are the most delightful New Zealanders you’ll ever want to avoid.
When it comes to ad-libbing and controlling the audience with cheeky charm, Byrne is a master, and with a number of these types of shows under her belt, York is just as adept at marvellously manipulating the audience. Rossi is a breath of fresh air as an incredibly hyped-up Lisa McCune-type character, while Clement entertains with his nerfus charm and versatility.
This Luv Boat doesn’t always sail smoothly, but neither does it run aground, Get on board – they’re expecting you!
Reviewed by Brian Godfrey
Twitter: @briangods
Rating (out of 5): 3
Venue: Maxim’s Wine Bar 194a The Parade, Norwood
Season: 10 February – 13 March 2016
Duration: approx 2hrs including 15min interval
Tickets: $21 – $28
Bookings: Book through FringeTix online or at a FringeTix box office (booking fees apply)
http://www.adelaidefringe.com.au
More News
