Comedy Reviews : Amelia Jane Hunter, Bart Freebairn, Anne Edmonds

By Lisa Dib

Amelia Jane Hunter – Dear Endora

Amelia Jane Hunter

Bart Freebairn

Anne Edmonds

If there were more Agony Aunts like Endora, there’d be fewer bitch-and-moaners in the world. Amelia Jane Hunter’s ‘Endora’ character is an Agony Aunt that sorts through the trials and tribulations of her adoring followers and smoothes out the wrinkly duvet that is their lives.

Endora is a fierce, sardonic woman, make no mistake: if you are of prudish disposition or touchy temperament, I would shy away from Endora’s comedic bloodletting. But if, like me, you revel in the sardonic humour of others and positively adore smart, avidly opinionated, cynical and liberated comedy…then you will freakin’ love Endora.

Between hosting a sort-of hippie spirituality festival with her accompanist Betty (invisible) and sorting through the problems- both petty and prodigious- within the letter of her devotees, Endora manages to teach the audience everything she knows about life, love and motivational speakers.

With quick-fire and verbose delivery, Endora encourages free thought, sexual liberation and the pushing of envelopes.

Having seen a fair slew of MOR comedy in the preceding days, Endora was a great joy to my word-nerdy, feminist heart.

Although the musical number at the show’s end fell somewhat flat and crowds are often unprepared to share their issues with Endora in a public setting (audience participation being a dangerous move in any show, let alone one with psychological life issues in the midst), the prior hour-odd is a feast for the lobes- brain and ear- with Endora ripping the proverbial out of creepy motivational guru Anthony Robbins, sex life self-help books, cruise ships and online matchmaking. Just make yourself happy, sans the BS, Endora seems to scream.

So, make like the lady herself- don a snappy polyester pantsuit, pull the ol’ locks into a kicky beehive, guzzle some Chardy and get rid of those self-help doorstops... Endora will ease the pain.

Bart Freebairn – Tears and Treasure

Although the title of the show rests unevenly on the content within, the real treasure of the show is Freebairn himself (see what I did there?); his loveable storytelling draws the audience in as if we were all just sitting together in a bar, shooting the shit.

Freebairn’s playful delivery contrasts nicely with the subjects of which he speaks: the search for mysticism, the quest for knowledge and happiness, and, of course, why a dolphin is more spiritual than a cockroach.

My answer would be: cockroaches are creepy with gross legs and dolphins can be cute when not involved in perverse sexual deviance. But I digress.

Freebairn tells of growing up in Toowoomba, Queensland and the trials of Becoming An Adult: dodging creepy gay customers at “the fanciest café in Toowoomba” (“we had sundried tomatoes sometimes”) - and the line “checking for sniff marks” is all I’ll say about that story- teen parties, sexual experimenting (the audience titters knowingly at a familiar jeans-related conundrum) and a nutty holistic mother keen on crystals and cleansing her son’s dirty aura.

One aspect of the show I enjoyed outside the warm and funny material was Freebairn’s taking of the show’s reigns on his own; it’s been heartening to see so many comics, local and international both, doing all the hard yards to make their shows successful on their own, including flyering and their own lights and sound.

Dedication to their craft is a fine thing to see in comedians and Freebairn has it in spades... shovels, even. Zing.

Freebairn is a silly, playful gem who’ll make you smile and burst with LOLs- what more could you ask for?

Anne Edmonds - Ever Since the Dawn of Anne

2010 RAW Winner Anne Edmonds is a one-of-a-kind performer, this much is for sure. I was tempted to include “love her or hate her” in that last sentence but I can’t imagine anyone hating the pelvic-thrusting, banjo-playing comic one iota.
 
The nutty comedian tells of her regrets and regressions in her show, Ever Since the Dawn of Anne: teenage smoking- resulting in burning down a park- getting drunk and passing out at a footy game, pining for unavailable males.

The stories are general enough for us all to relate but made unique by Edmonds’ Maria Bamford-esque ability to shape-shift into different characters and slip into some hilarious voices. I know “funny voices” isn’t usually a draw-card for a comedy show in this day and age, but Edmonds doesn’t overuse it and peddles it hilariously.

Edmonds’ pelvic thrusting dance style and banjo-tinged cabaret are a dip into the delightfully absurd, an area in which she shines, along with her keyboard accompanist Amy Bennett. Together they create catchy songs with Edmonds’ amusingly exaggerated singing.

Anne Edmonds is set to be one of the more likeable comics to find great success after her Comedy Festival run- catch her now so you can say “I knew her when...”.