Review – Munfred Bernstein’s Cabinet of Wonder

Picture this: you’re at the local on a Sunday night and the old guy who’s been propped up against the bar since Thursday is regaling you with tall tales of love, boyhood, and his travels to “all five corners of the world”. They’re ludicrous; based upon untruths and total unlikelihood, yet… they’re undeniably entertaining. In fact they are funny, enlightening and just the right amount of uncomfortable. Eventually, you realise it hardly matters whether or not a story may be true, exaggerated or entirely fictionalised; as long as that story is told well.

An occasional naughty song about bananas doesn’t go astray, either.

Munfred Bernstein (New Zealand funny-man Jamie Bowen), brashly waltzes into the hearts of his audience with an accent and demeanour that seems a little reminiscent of Michael Keaton from his “Beetlejuice” days; a dry witt and a sharp tongue that is sure to get a giggle from even the most sombre of audience members.

See it with a group of mates or bring your Dad and shout him a beer (he’ll appreciate the Monty-Python-esq, philosophical finale).