Sydney Reviews

Photos - Minh-Tu Duong

Every now and then the intimate theatre at the Old Fitzroy Hotel will offer up a comedy that is quite out of the box. There was the brilliant surreal verbal gymnastics of Portholes Into the Minds of The Vanquished in 2006. The monstrous creations of impersonator Marty Murphy have also made their appearance a couple of times. Cubbyhouse emerges out of a similar oddly shaped hole. This show is just sheer good fun.

Holly Austin and Adriano Cappelletta (Ado) play themselves, supposedly, in this high energy mix of music and comedy. They play off each other perfectly and their sense of timing ensures that the show rollicks along.

Holly and Ado meet in a classroom and not in Berlin, or Paris. Ado performs a staggeringly inappropriate play about a crack addict to an audience of four year olds that Holly is teaching. They decide that neither is happy with their lives, and set out to tour the country as multi- disciplined performers. They witness a boxing match between Tanya, a pregnant woman and Boris, a prize fighter. Both of these characters are imaginary and therefore invisible. Just as well. No one wants to see a pregnant woman go a couple of rounds of fisticuffs.

After no luck and even less money they, decide to split up and try and find themselves proper jobs. Along the way they encounter an assortment of strange folk. If there is a message at the end of this bizarre journey, it is to be true to yourself and follow your dreams.

If you can believe any of the absurd stories that this show or the people involved with it tell you, Holly and Ado first devised it in a boat shed in Patonga on the NSW central coast. It was originally performed at CarriageWorks in July 2008 as part of the Underbelly arts festival. It has since been seen at both the Melbourne and Sydney comedy festivals as well as in Perth. It travelled to New York where it was performed at the Public Theater as part of The Sumer Play festival. Perhaps this overseas trip inspired the routine about American customs officials. Cubbyhouse has recently been revamped after Holly and Ado spent time in Europe, studying under master clowns Philippe Gaulier and Pierre Byland.

It is a delight to see such a multi-talented pair. Holly and Ado, whose costume suggests Wally has well and truly been found, tinkle on xylophones, manipulate keyboards and bang on drums to avoid boredom on long road trips. Holly is also excellent at producing sound effects and beats with her voice (beatboxing).

If you are looking for a fun, night out, Cubbyhouse is well worth it.


MAKEbeLIVE Productions in association with Tamarama Rock Surfers and FBi Radio presents
CuBBYHOuSE
Devised and Performed by Holly Austin & Adriano Cappelletta

Director Jo Turner

Venue: Old Fitzroy Theatre | 129 Dowling Street, Woolloomooloo
Season: Thursday November 5 to Saturday November 21, 2009 (Preview Wednesday November 4)
Times: Tues to Sat 8pm, Sun 5pm
Tickets: $29/$21 beer/laksa/show $35, Cheap Tuesday $17/$25 BLS
Bookings: www.rocksurfers.org/CuBBYHOuSE or 1300 438 849