Melbourne's 370 shows under fire

Australia’s biggest-selling national newspaper has condemned the Melbourne comedy festival as ‘a fortnight of mediocrity’ dominated by smug comedians too worried about their image to be interesting.

Although the festival is one of the biggest events in the nation’s cultural calendar, The Australian broadsheet has published just one review to cover all 370 shows – from a reviewer who admitted he hadn’t been to the festival in a decade. And he wasn't impressed.

Michael Bodey spent two weeks at the festival, which actually runs for nearly four, and wrote today: ‘Where once most comedians were laconic or strident and for the most part reckless, now they appear mannered and more aware of their next step than the audience in front of them.rn‘In a fortnight of mediocrity, I yearned for a Bill Hicks, Jerry Sadowitz or even Doug Anthony All Stars to shake up the joint.

‘Perhaps I just chose the wrong acts or I am the cliché who likes the old stuff better than the new stuff.’

In the dismissive article, he condemned America’s Pajama Men as ‘too showy and flippant’; said Britain’s Frisky and Mannish were ‘undermined by their style’; noted that Tim Key’s Edinburgh Comedy Award-winning show ‘lagged’; criticised local stand-up Catherine Deveny for being ‘tightly-scripted’; and called US stand-up Jamie Kilstein’s rants ‘a pony trick’.

Bodey did praise two shows: talented musical act The Bedroom Philosopher and local stand-up Peter Berner, whose show includes gags about Ikea furniture and airline safety procedures.

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is part-sponsored by The Australian’s rival newspaper, The Age.

Click here for Chortle's coverage of the even, the world's second-biggest comedy festival after Edinburgh.

Published: 13 Apr 2010