Shaun Micallef has established himself with television audiences as Australia’s answer to Monty Python. His appearances include Full Frontal and The Micallef Program, and he recently hosted the game show Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Generation on Channel Ten.
Micallef is a lifelong devotee of the work of English comedy duo Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. He credits Peter Cook in particular as a great influence on his own acting style and method of delivery. Sadly Cook and Moore’s work was thought to be only available on the comedy records. The short sighted BBC taped over their television show, Not Only but Also.
While working on his ill-fated tonight show for channel 9 in 2003, Shaun stumbled on some tapes of material from two programs that Cook and Moore had recorded while touring Australia in 1971. The shows consisted of sketches written and performed by the duo for the legendary University revue show Beyond The Fringe. He now presents some of these long lost sketches in a show at the Sydney Opera House called Good Evening.
Micallef performs these sketches with Stephen Curry, best known for his portrayal of Dale Kerrigan in the seminal Australian comedy film, The Castle. The performance is a labour of love for Shaun and it shows.
The stage is designed to resemble the studio of a classic 1970’s British television show, featuring those ribbon stairs that TV hosts inevitably descended in style with their black and white suits. The sketches range from old fashioned bawdy tits and bum humour, to delightful nonsense. Not every sketch is first class, but then sketch comedy has always been a hit and miss affair.
Micallef sees Cook and Moore as the missing link between the Goons and Monty Python. One Leg Too Few, which Cook wrote when he was just eighteen, is what the Pythons would later call, a Thesaurus sketch. A one legged-man goes in to audition for the role of Tarzan, and is told in as many colourful ways as possible that the role requires two legs. This has much in common with Monty Python’s Dead Parrot and Cheese Shop sketches where we are told in many different ways that the bird is dead and the shop is out of cheese.
The stand out sketch is The Frog and Peach. A nonsensical television studio interview about the failure of a restaurant which lies in a boggy marsh and only serves dishes made from the afore mentioned amphibian and fruit. Another highlight is Minni Drama where an MP is driven to the House of Lords by a cabby who appears to have some rather unsavoury connections. Some genuine tension is created in between the gags with the help of swirling mist filling the stage.
Micallef and Curry are joined on stage by pianist Mark Jones who gives the night a Variety feel with his musical numbers. This gives the actors a break and stops the audience from getting sketch fatigue. Jones’ facial hair and movements are a dead ringer for English Comedian Bill Bailey who appeared in the tv sitcom Black Books.
This is not an impersonation of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore. Instead the performers have added their own character to the show, right down to the offstage announcement about Mobile phones. There is some delightful banter between Micallef and Curry. “Go host a game show”, quips Curry as he storms off stage. While reviving the work of a famous English duo we may just be witnessing, a great Aussie duo in the making.
If you are looking for some well executed silliness for the silly season, Good Evening might be what you’re after.
Good Evening
The Sketches of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore
Directed by Tom Healey
Venue: Sydney Opera House, Drama Theatre
Dates: Wednesday 2nd – Sunday 20th December
Times: Tue – Thu 7pm, Fri 8pm, Sat 2pm & 8pm, Sun 5pm (No Show Monday)
Tickets: Sat Night All Tix $59.90 Tue-Fri, Sat Matinee & Sun Full $55.90 Conc $49.90
Bookings: sydneyoperahouse.com 9250 7777
