Review – Late Night Comedy at The Producers Bar
Stand-up comedy has long been the most prolific genre represented at the Adelaide Fringe, what with the number of comedians verging upon 500 this year. Given the sheer number of jokesters peddling their wares, taking the plunge and purchasing a ticket for a show can be a risk if you haven’t seen them perform before. Sure, you can pay the big cash to see a comedian that has featured on TV or base your decision on the quality of a poster. I would argue, however, that the most effective way is to attend a showcase – such as Late Night Comedy at the Producers Bar, which presents a smattering of comedians with each delivering a quick fire five minutes of material. It is a perfect way to determine if a comedian’s particular style tickles your funny bone.
The MC for the evening is Marcel Blanch-de Wilt, a name reminiscent of a French mime. On occasions, I felt myself wishing he was a mime, but he did produce moments of mirth, especially at the expense of a drunken heckler in the front row named Rachel. Poor Rachel provided the cast of comedians with fodder throughout the evening, giving us a timely reminder that you intervene in stand-up comedy at your peril. Five comedians performed within the hour long show, with the stand outs being the slightly built, dapper Conan O’Brien look-a-like Rhys Nicholson and the dishevelled, gangly Englishman Neil Sinclair. The line up will vary each evening, but the concept is sound and the venue is perfectly suited to comedy. Just don’t heckle from the front row, particularly if you have imbibed a little too much wine.
