“This show finds its comedy in its utter relatability… you’ll likely feel triggered by the phrases thrown at you in this ‘all hands meeting’ to ‘value add’ before you ‘deep dive’ with your ‘stakeholders’…”
Alana Kaye
3.5 Stars
The Peacock at Gluttony, Rymill Park
11 Mar – 23 Mar
Adelaide Fringe Festival
This is one meeting that absolutely SHOULDN’T be an email.
Wankernomics – Just Touching Base is the brainchild of James Schloeffel and Charles Firth, best known for their comedic work on things like The Chaser and The Shovel.
It’s a tongue-in-cheek exploration of the banal buzzwords and bullshit of the corporate world. This show finds its comedy in its utter relatability. If you’ve ever been in some semblance of an office job, you’ll likely feel triggered by the phrases thrown at you in this ‘all hands meeting’ to ‘value add’ before you ‘deep dive’ with your ‘stakeholders’… ‘moving forward’.
That’s right – you, the audience, are the meeting attendees, and Schloeffel and Firth are higher-up employees at this chaotic company. Don’t worry if you’re confused – not even they know what this company actually does.
Even if you haven’t worked in the corporate world, you’ve probably heard your suit & boot buddies complaining about the absolute bullshit jargon they have to put up with on a daily basis. So it’s highly likely you’ll understand the jokes as well.
The show’s pacing felt unbalanced – it started off a little slow, and had some peaks and troughs in the middle, but it did pick up slightly towards the end. Our audience delivered a lot of laughs and were enthusiastic when called upon to provide buzzwords of their own. But overall it didn’t feel like there was a lot of surprising material there.
I don’t think Schloeffel and Firth have given themselves much room to grow and develop Wankernomics, so it doesn’t feel like a show you’d see year after year. But if you’re keen for a few laughs, and to perhaps go home and question your corporate life choices, this is the show for you. Moving forward.
Tickets: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/wankernomics-just-touching-base-af2025
Alana Kaye, Theatre Now
