Shit of the Fringe performs a noble task with great comedy.
When you think about it this shouldn’t be a surprise. All reviewers have lapses in judgement (although this goes for the good reviews too) and some amazing comics have had some very bad reviews as a result. Also, it’s pretty clear that any comic who is willing to appear on a show called Shit of the Fringe certainly has one thing; a pretty robust sense of humour. Dave Chawner is the self-deprecating and wonderfully self-aware MC of the show. Taking well aimed pot shots at his own androgyny, he is able to charge the crowd with good will for the oncoming comic.
This goodwill was certainly not wasted on Paul Duncan McGarrity, probably the strongest comedian of the show. He’s brilliantly funny, with a zany wit and a real talent for unnerving people in the front row. His endearingly ordinary material, like weight issues and red headed girlfriends, is crafted into a set that is both original and engaging. Pretty hilarious too. Next up is Charmian Hughes who even in such a short time seems to give a sense of both the gravity and the humour of her comic potential. However, one stinging reference to know-nothing spotty 18 year old boys reviewing for Broadway Baby had me squirming a good bit. But just to put the record straight I'm not 18 years old.
Next up was Richard Wright who, though he used a few lame Christian gags towards the end (although they came quite refreshingly from the perspective of a Christian), managed to make kazoo jokes witty. An impressive feat. Finally came Luke Mallison whose hilarious set revolved around how reviewers consistently misspelling his name has led to the creation of a doppelganger comic who gets reviewed extremely well while the reviews that got his name right were consistently bad. (Note: he was the only act without a flyer with his name on it, so I too have probably misspelt his name.)
I can’t speak for other reviewers on other days who might have had their reasons for giving shit reviews to these comics. I, however, am unable to write one such review. Really what this feels like is an above par pick of the fringe show with a funnier title. Shit of the Fringe performs a noble task with great comedy.
