Look at the Funny Lady

Kristina Benton was a particular highlight. 

Look at the Funny Lady, Black Apple Theatre’s Midsumma Festival offering, is a mismatch of skits and songs that are quirky, funny and poignant. Each performer is given their time to shine in the cabaret themed evening, which demonstrated that these emerging female comic actors have got talent and plenty of laughs up their sleeves. 

The evening began with Aubrey Flood’s sweet yet, clear intonations with dubious lyrical undertones in Daryl Is A Boy Who Lives in My Closet, composed by Michael Mitnick. This song was originally slated for later in the show, according to the program, so the producers had obviously had to reshuffle, yet this song works in its new slot and sets the tone for the rest of the evening. It’s cheeky, a little off kilter from you standard fare, and features lots of sparkles.

After Flood’s performance we began to flip through a variety of songs and skits, with highlights including Mind the Gap – Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls performed by Honor Wolff and written by David Sedaris, and Hannah Monson who shines in as both a psychopathic chicken killer and an anxious mother in Eavesdropping by Amelia Mellor.

Kristina Benton was particularly strong, performing Otalia’s An Old Fashioned Lesbian Love Story and an ode to Sara Lee, which had her singing about the delights of dessert in what was definitely one of the funniest moments of the evening. Benton’s comic timing generated the most laughs and she had a charismatic stage presence which drew the audience to her.

Musical direction by Tiffanni Walton and Direction by Cheyney Caddy was strong, but perhaps some tightening would have made the production flow more smoothly; a couple of sketches dragged, hindering the sharpness and pace of the rest of the show. 

Finishing off the evening was Eight Miles Wide, performed mainly by Aubrey Flood but involving each of the cast members in a riotous song about vaginas. The entire cast then led a performance of I’m A Woman by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, topping off the evening by showcasing the strong vocals and comic excellence of each of the women. 

Performing at Wesley Anne on High Street, Northcote, which isn’t your traditional theatre venue, posed some challenges. Usually populated with much louder acts who drown out the outside noise, the actors managed well  amidst the cacophony of tram dings and noise from the bar next door. But the beautiful old bluestone building with its high ceilings is the perfect intimate setting for a night of big personalities and big theatre; a performance which simultaneously felt personal and loving.

A funny evening with some definite ‘ones to watch’ amid the cast. 

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Look at the Funny Lady
Black Apple Theatre 
Wesley Anne, High Street, Northcote 
Until 1 February