Jonathan Biggins and Amanda Bishop detail Australian/US diplomacy. Photo: Vishel Pandey
Thank goodness for the Wharf Revue, which still manages to make us laugh in a world that is full of terrible news headlines, wars and promises of doom. Thank goodness for the cleverness and wit riddling through songs and sketches which make us laugh (and/or wince) at our politicians, at ourselves and our foibles, local and global.
Written, as usual, by Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe and Phillip Scott, devotees of the Revue, which has been a stalwart on the Sydney comedy/satire scene for more than 20 years, will notice changes to the line up this year. While Scott remains musical supervisor, his place behind the piano is taken by Andrew Warboys, and joining Biggins, Forsythe and Amanda Bishop, she of the amazing voice and excellent mimicry skills, on stage this season is David Whitney.
The theme of the show is Pride in Prejudice, which explains the Regency costumes of the opening number. Moving quickly on towards the present day, we are soon in France for a skewering of that country’s tendency to strike at the drop of un chapeau and then to a very clever rendition of the song Lydia, the Tattoed Lady (which first appeared in a Marx Bros movie), now renamed Lidia, Oh Lidia and rewritten to reference the thoughts and beliefs of our very own Lidia Thorpe.
The scandal of Robo Debt is not forgotten, nor the challenges of AI; Trump makes a brief appearance – on the run from jail with Rudy Giuliani – courtesy of Biggins and Forsythe; Whitney gives us a scarily believable Peter Dutton, wrapped up in a musical scene with ‘I’m Just a Man Who Must Say No’; and there are plenty of other sketches to remind us (as if we needed reminding) of pollie speak, government policies and business ethics. The Revue’s take on Qantas is unlikely to impress its old or new management but raised one of the biggest laughs of the evening.
As well as the usual suspects (among them the British royal family, a gift that keeps on giving; Bishop’s renditions of Jacqui Lambie; and Forsythe’s marvellously comic Biden), there are new ‘faces’. A heavily bearded and hirsute Forsythe gives us Costa and a gardener’s thoughts on climate change; Bishop channelling Sussan Ley as a fawning jazz singer is an absolute knockout; and there is even a dose of Russian opera, featuring the Revue’s very own Putin.
As you might expect, the failed referendum on The Voice does not go unremarked and is one of the standouts of this year’s Revue, a sad and beautifully sung indictment from the entire cast. Not much to laugh at on this one, but that’s life. And that’s why we need satire, especially from the likes of the writers and performers of the Revue. Given the state of the world, it’s great to enjoy 90 minutes of entertainment that guarantees some laughs along the way. Is it as hilarious as last year’s Revue? Maybe not, but it still has plenty of laugh-out-loud moments – and all the impersonations are so perfect. Biggins has Albo’s little lisp down pat and just remembering The Crown sketch – with Biggins’ spot on, hand-in-his pocket and drippily petulant King Charles alarmed to be visited by ghosts: Forsythe as his regally disappointed, round-shouldered Queen and Mummy; Bishop completely capturing the late Diana’s coy mannerisms and delivering a few barbs of her own; and Whitney blustering in as his late Papa – is making me smile.
The Wharf Revue is at the Seymour Centre until 17 December (and will be touring in 2024, including shows in Parramatta and French’s Forest).
Tickets: $50-$90; seymourcentre.com or (02) 9061 5344
