The Listies
Written
and performed by The Listies.The Q. The Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre.
October 24-25 2025
Reviewed by Peter Wilkins
The Listies, Richard Higgins and
Matthew Kelly are the masters of “kidult”entertainment with a wacky show
designed to make kids and adults laugh themselves silly. Judging by their
latest show at The Q, the very young and the very old were having a fun-filled
time as Higgins and Kelly served up a storm of corny jokes, silly sight gags, slapstick
and the customary bum and fart jokes. Originally called The List Operators, The
Listies use lists to structure their one hour comedy. The latest list includes
the things one needs to get done before leaving the house on time and not be
late! Each task becomes the action of
their short improvised scenes, aided and abetted by an enthusiastic audience of
willing volunteers.On butcher’s paper, Rich has written 1. Get Up , 2 Have
Breakfast, 3. Pack the bags, Do the chores and 4. Leave on time.
What makes this show such a laugh
a minute romp is its tried and true formula for the comedy duo. It is a
tradition practised to perfection by the likes of Abbott and Costello, Laurel
and Hardy, Morecombe and Wise and Lano and Woodley. Rich is the straight man, practical
and intent on doing the right thing. Matt is the daffy clown, exasperating,
irresponsible, unpredictable with the concentration of a jumping jack, sparking off
in all directions. And yet, Matt eventually proves that you can’t judge a clown
by his costume.
Higgins and Kelly have got the routines down pat. Their timing is slick, their gags come thick and fast and the young audience join in with excited response to the old “Where” question or jump to their feet to make the invisible pancakes for breakfast. They laugh with wicked delight at the realization that the projection of pears and tomatoes and apples look like a person’s behind, And the unexpected fart brings squeals of laughter. It’s all good fun but never overdone and The Listies know their audience down to a tee.
The final chore is one that every
kid knows well. “Clean your room!” When it comes to the Matt cave this is no
easy ask. The Snotness Monster is a pun that
like to corny gag is there to keep the adults amused. Fortunately the blow up
monster soon meets its fate at the finger on the triggerof a toilet roll gun
and a stage littered with reems of toilet paper. Largely improvised, the show
is tight and the list keeps the action on course so that there is no time for
minds to wander. The energy explodes and
the hour passes in a flash. And Matt is
not as silly as he seems.
For kidult fun, The Listies are
well placed on your list of shows to see.
