“The Who’s who of Australian politics were all lambasted without fear or favour...The passing out parade of characters from a beloved institution. Your last chance to visit the institution.”
Kate Stratford
Seymour Centre
Sydney
11 Nov – 23 Dec 2024
It has been 25 years of political comedy mayhem and the team behind the Wharf Review of Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe and Philip Scott are calling it quits. In true Wharf style, the announcement was revealed as “an opportunity to spend more time with family, … We’ll serve one last term to max out the super and then try to pick up some kind of consultancy work …”
The Who’s who of Australian politics were all lambasted without fear or favour. Opening with Biggins (rather famous take) as Keating introducing the show, there were old favourites: Howard, Abbott, Hanson, Rudd etc but some newer figures are carpeted too. From the Angus Taylor Swift glittering number to the rejigging of “I’m Bad” to “I’m Bandt” and a Simpsons inspired finale, the team of Jonathan Biggins, Mandy Bishop, Drew Forsythe, Phillip Scott, and David Whitney took their devoted followers on the familiar journey of savage political satire.
Some moments were shinier than others (literally and metaphorically) such as the aforementioned Angus Taylor Swift and a sequined Jacqui Lambert. Famous old Brits got a bit of a pasting for their travel documentaries which fill our TV screens. The Revue crew’s ability to mimic the voices, phrasing and bodies of so many targets is uncanny and a true testament to their talent, charm and wit. Miriam Margoyles and Joanna Lumley were a treat.
A moment which did not seem to get the cut-through was the Clive & Gina number and one suspects that it is because no matter how you cut it, these two are just too distasteful to be a target of intelligent humour. Lampooning of this rapacious pair by brilliant cartoonists has not worked either. Nothing to laugh at here.
Sensibly, the Revue now embraces the AV and SFX possible with current technology, giving the cast time to climb into the prosthetics and costumes, wigs and make-up which they so expertly utilise to create those illusory-not-illustrious figures.
The passing out parade of characters from a beloved institution. Your last chance to visit the institution.
As ever, the Wharf brings cutting, clever satire to Australian politics. We’ll miss it.
Kate Stratford, Theatre Now
