What ever happened to sketch comedy? I grew up watching The Comedy Show and Fast Forward when our favourite fruiterer was Con and Eric Banner wasn’t a Hollywood heartthrob, but Aussie bogan, Poida.
Now, stands-ups are taking over our television shows and radio stations, it is an epidemic that
continues to dominate comedy in Melbourne. I admit that I have also been infected by the stand-
up domination. My crush on Arj Barker continues, nearly peeing my pants at Steven K Amos is a
memory I won’t forget and Hughesy’s voice in the morning on Nova remains a guilty pleasure.
But I have finally seen the light my dear students. I have finally met Boss Octopus, the brave, young souls who are bringing sketch comedy back in this year’s International Comedy Festival with their show simply entitled ‘An Evening of Sketch’.
What should you expect? Fast-paced, raw, sketch comedy by four guys and a girl with loud noises
and just enough nudity to make any uni student feel right at home.
Forming their group at Melbourne University’s annual Medical Comedy Revue, the group’s energy
and excitement about their work is a refreshing change. Remain hopeful my fellow students; finally
someone is doing something new and there is hope we may, one day, free ourselves from stand-up.
Yianni Efstathiadis, one of the four guys, describes the show as like eating tapas, “there’ll be
something for everyone”. With a variety of short, two and a half minute sketches, lasting for fifty
minutes in total, it certainly seems to be as Holi Simpson, aka ‘the girl’, describes as a “degustation of comedy”.
Nathan, another member of this quirky troupe, wants his audience to “leave with something”
and I certainly was impressed by their guts and determination to make a former uni group into a
professional comedy group, vying for our attention and of course, attendance, at the festival where
over 400 shows will grace our city.
Now that you know what to see, remember that this is as Holi reminded me, “cheaper than a Panini”
so enjoy the laughs and for a further discount like their page on Facebook. See you at the festival!