Mandy Bishop and Jonathan Biggins take a turn as Sybil and Basil. Photo: Brett Boardman
Good news for all those who missed out on tickets for The Wharf Revue: Good Night and Good Luck at the Opera House. There is to be an encore season at the Seymour Centre from 24 March to 24 April.
2020 gave the wonderful Revue team much to work with: the PM holidayed in Hawaii while Australia burned, then Covid hit and the restrictions began, Donald Trump continued to entertain his followers and our own politicians, as always, provided plenty of material.
Sharply satirical and always hilarious, this revue does not disappoint. Not surprisingly, the Coronavirus (the theme at least) underlies many songs and skits – it is hard to forget its Technicolor embodiment in the persons of Drew Forsythe and Jonathan Biggins, joyfully infecting everything they touch. The plight of those who lost work in 2020 is brilliantly lamented when The New Seekers become The New Jobseekers (please, please let Josh Frydenberg see and hear this serenade); Fawlty Towers becomes Faulty Towers, quarantine motel; and where would the Wharf Revue be without Forsythe’s Pauline Hanson, this time spouting conspiracy theories.
Other highlights, among many: Phil Scott’s enthusiastic Elton John paying musical tribute to Kim Jong-un and other Supreme Leaders of Korea; Forsythe’s Putin revealing that his favourite song is Mamma Mia; Mandy Bishop’s take on a Gladys Berejiklian Dating Service; and, for those who miss Bishop’s wonderful impersonations of Julia Guillard, take heart – Julia returns to sing about her career to the tune of Memories from the musical Cats. Every member of this awesome foursome can act, sing and dance, but it has to be noted that Bishop is a fabulous singer!
There’s more to be said, but better to see and hear it for yourselves. There’s a change to the line-up for the Seymour Centre season: Drew Forsythe, Phillip Scott and Mandy Bishop will be joined by David Whitney, who will be standing in for Jonathan Biggins.
A must-see.
Tickets: $49-$99
http://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/…/the-wharf-revue-2021…
