For the naively unaware, musical
comedian Sammy J has made a quite a name for himself in the
international comedy scene since debuting in 2003. His brilliantly
accurate musical timing as well as his sharp wit has seen him gain rave
reviews from here to Adelaide, Edinburgh
and beyond. Still charged from The 2008 Age Critics Award taken out at
the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Sammy J delivers again
with this delightful treat, Sammy J’s Wagon of Friendship.
What’s
most endearing about Sammy J, is how genuinely personable he is with
each member of the audience. After opening his show with a humorous
list of instructions that we need in order to board this wagon of
friendship, it is clear his objective is to make damn sure that you are
enjoying yourself. What follows in this hour of fun, is nothing short
of a random quest to 7/11, unbeatable trivia and a hilarious meditation
session that conquered my fear of marsupials residing on my right
shoulder.
This
is a brilliant mix of stand up and cabaret, with the musical numbers
deriving from his amusing experiences or ideas. While traditionally in
cabaret the background information to a song generally causes a break
in the cohesiveness, not to mention intense boredom; it was an actual
pleasure to gain this insight, and his impeccable timing only added to
the laugh out loud factor of each number. At one point, Sammy J
reminisces about the time he played a song at a retirement village,
only to be met with the response of blank and horrified stares. As he
begins to belt out the refreshingly cheeky, ‘Fingering Song’, one
begins to howl with laughter at the thought of the 80 year old woman’s
face, sitting dazed in the front row.
With
the ever consistent audience interaction as well as surprise guest
appearance from German exercise freak Hans, Sammy J sums up this show
himself as ‘A humble gathering of friends.’ And after being fortunate
enough to land myself in this ‘gathering’, I feel honoured to be a
friend to this delightfully funny and almost deliciously edible
comedian. His vast musical ability along with his enormous acting
talent all pave their way to a funny and endearing comedian, who likes
to make it very clear that there is no place he would rather be than
sharing a night with a piano, a juice box and what I can only call, his
newest-found friends.
Sammy J's Wagon of Friendship
Venue: The Butterfly Club | 204 Bank Street, South Melbourne Dates: Thursday 29 – Saturday 31 May Times: 9.00 pm Duration: one hour approx Tickets: $25 full / $20 concession and for groups of 8 or more Bookings:www.thebutterflyclub.com
Avenue Q to open in MelbourneFrom Broadway to the West End, and the West End to Melbourne…the wait
is over and AVENUE Q fans can rejoice that the Tony Award Best Musical
winner will finally be enjoyed in Australia.
Read more
For the naively unaware, musical
comedian Sammy J has made a quite a name for himself in the
international comedy scene since debuting in 2003. His brilliantly
accurate musical timing as well as his sharp wit has seen him gain rave
reviews from here to Adelaide, Edinburgh
and beyond. Still charged from The 2008 Age Critics Award taken out at
the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Sammy J delivers again
with this delightful treat, Sammy J’s Wagon of Friendship. 
