The Scared Weird Little Guys (Rusty Berther and John Chaplin-Fleming) made a name for themselves using music as the basis for their comedy shows. And it works, most of the time. While not always laugh out loud funny, the approach that ‘the Scaredies’ (as they’re affectionately known) take is certainly entertaining.
The duo began performing together in 1990, after the break-up of an a capella group they were both involved with. For the past 21 years they have successfully toured nationally and internationally, appeared on television and radio, and won an ARIA in 1995 for Best Comedy Release.
One of their most renowned acts is called ‘One Song to the Tune of Another’, which is exactly what the title suggests. Whilst some such songs are pre-prepared, they also open up the segment to suggestions from the audience. This sometimes works, and is pretty impressive when it does: for example, hearing the lyrics of the children’s classic ‘Old MacDonald had a Farm’ sung to the tune of the grunge anthem, ‘Smells like Teen Spirit’ by Nirvana. And even when it doesn’t work, it’s entertaining to watch the concentration on the performers’ faces as they try to break down and meld the lyrics and melodies from different songs.
‘The Phonebook Song’ was another highlight of Wednesday night’s performance, in which the Scaredies sung a (substantially) edited version of the phonebook from A-Z, gradually increasing the speed of the song. As previously mentioned, hearing ‘Waltzing Matilda’ sung to the tune of Eminem is also amusing, particularly the sight of Rusty, the shorter of the two, rapping along.
While it’s clear that The Scared Weird Little Guys have garnered a strong following over the last two decades, Enough Already has broad enough appeal to entertain those who haven’t previously seen their shows. While not everything in the show is a hit, the distinctiveness of the duo’s performances, the obvious rapport between them, and those acts that are successful, make for enjoyable, light-hearted viewing.
Scared Weird Little Guys
Enough Already
Athenaeum Theatre
March 29 – April 3
The Palms at Crown
April 22 – 23
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
March 30 – April 24
For more festival coverage see our dedicated MICF mini-site.
