Speaking with Jason Catlett from Time Out Melbourne, Eddie Perfect said of his latest solo show Misanthropology “It's pretty dark and wrong and twisted and very musical, and ideally very funny and satirical. I've gone all kind-of mysterious: it's our last night on Earth before we jet into space and let the whole planet die."Dark and wrong and twisted may be apt descriptions but Perfect's digs at humanity delivered with the musicality, energy and wicked sense of humour that are very much his trade mark, produced a stunning hour of comic cabaret at the Spiegeltent last night.
Perfect's topics range across a host of human experiences, some fantastic, some very much everyday. A wealthy, white, bored man 'escapes' to live with a primitive tribe only to find that some traditional practices have him wanting to run away to the relative safety of a shopping mall. Perfect questions our relationship with animals (we don't understand them), the environment (to some of us forests are simply disorganised florists), ourselves, our children, fitness and the arts. Quite a bit to pack into an hour's performance, but with the help of his unique segue kick everyone and everything gets a fair serve.
Perfect's genius is to be able to take an everyday topic like ante-natal classes, or uncomfortable topics like the sexual misdemeanours of some leading sportsmen, and lead his audience away from the mundane towards the extraordinary, incorporating that classic twist or surprise that is sure to make us laugh. With input from an audience member he had us all cringing at the thought of strangers climbing up our vagina tree! See the show and you'll understand. And he shared one of his hidden pleasures with us, he loves seeing the looks of horror on the faces of some audience members when he flirts with topics we would ordinarily prefer to ignore.
Perfect uses his body, his way with words and his singing voice to seduce the audience and make us accept, or rather to laugh at, the unacceptable, whilst also leaving us to ponder the wisdom or otherwise of the way we choose to live.
Craig Ilott co-directed; the lighting was great and Perfect was supported by three talented musicians: Mick Stuart on guitar, Alon Ilsar on electric drums (the kit had just the right look for the space age theme) and Andrea Keller on keyboards.
The last word remains with Eddie Perfect (again from his interview with Jason Catlett):
Thinking about things in a different way can do good and effect change. I don't say ‘we're all gonna die, it's hopeless.' I don't mind that we're all gonna die, it's fine. It's liberating. We might as well enjoy ourselves.
A perfect night's entertainment; not to be missed.
A Token Event
Misanthropology
Eddie Perfect
Part of the 2011 Melbourne International Comedy Festival
Venue: The Famous Spiegeltent at the Arts Centre | 100 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne
Dates: 31 March - 24 April
Times: Tue-Sat 8.30pm, Sun 7.30pm
Duration: 60 minutes
Tickets: $40 – $30
Bookings: Ticketmaster 1300 660 013 | theartscentre.com.au | At the venue 1300 182 183