Written and Created by Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe and Phillip
Scott
Sydney Theatre Company
The Playhouse, Canberra Theatre Centre
15 – 19
October, 2013
Review by Len Power
Who would have thought politics could be so much fun? This edition of “The Wharf Revue” is clever,
witty and very funny. Cast members
Jonathan Biggins, Amanda Bishop, Drew Forsyth and Simon Burke work their way expertly
through a rapid fire program of sketches playing just about every politician
from the present and recent past as well as other Australian identities that all
deserve a good roasting. These seasoned actors
can produce the essence of these well-known identities in an instant and their
sense of timing is impeccable. Much of
the fun is the surprise of seeing who they’ll play next. They’re all good singers, too.
There’s not one sketch here that falls flat. The writing is intelligent, well-constructed
and the jokes come thick and fast. The show
is obviously updated as it tours. There
was even a topical joke about Anna Burke and the faceless men on opening night.
David Bergman, the sound and video designer, has done
exceptional work with some great video sequences that complement the live action. Lighting by Matthew Marshall creates a great
atmosphere for the show. Andrew Worboys,
the wild and wacky accompanist on piano, is also the show’s musical director. The well-designed set by Barry Searle
incorporates an interesting optical illusion if you’re looking down on it from
the theatre’s balconies.
The show has been written and created by Jonathan Biggins,
Drew Forsyth and Phillip Scott. It’s a
delight from start to finish and much more interesting than this year’s
election ever was.
Originally published in the Canberra City News digital edition 16 October 2013
