Image: Ensemble members from The Big HOO-HA! Photograph by Mark Gambino.
The Big HOO-HA is a weekly improv comedy night that has been running for six years at the Butterfly Club. This weekend, I got my first taste at their sixth birthday special – and it was delicious.
The show usually sees two teams of two performers going head to head. But for this birthday extravaganza, there were twelve performers on stage, plus our wonderful host, Matt Saraceni. The theme of the night: Survivor. The performers were divided into three teams, battling it out for immunity idols, special rewards and the ultimate glory of being the sole survivors of a night of ruthless hilarity. (Special mention to Saraceni for bearing an unnerving resemblance to Survivor host Jeff Probst and coming prepared with a familiarity of all 32 seasons of the show).
The HOO-HA are at their best in short-burst comedy games. Near the beginning of the show, three contestants had to perform their audition tapes for Survivor whilst at the same time guessing their identities. The setup was perfect, playing brilliantly with the comic irony of what the audience knows and what the performers don’t. The three key performers in this round were some of the strongest of the night – Jason Geary, Brianna Williams and especially Greg Lavell lighting up the stage time and again, whether from the centre of the scene or with a lightning-fast gag in the background.
As with any improv night some of the longer scene-work missed its mark, with performers grasping to find the core of the scene they’d been thrown into. But this too is the thrill of improv – flying blind and seeing what happens. As in any improv night the decisive factor in surviving (and thriving in this uncertainty) is company cohesion, goodwill and spirit – which these comedians have in buckets.
Another regular feature of improv comedy nights that is harder to blow off with goodwill is the striking lack of diversity. The HOO-HA are doing great work with the cast they’ve got, but I would strongly encourage them to make a point of seeking, nurturing and showcasing talent from a broader range of cultural groups.
In the end, the BONES team steamed ahead to victory – unsurprising, given the bounty of talent in the team. The aforementioned and show-stealing Greg Lavell was joined by supreme talents Andy McClelland, Natalie Holmwood and the unforgettable and extremely versatile Amberly Cull.
I’ll also mention Jaron Why and Caleb Garfinkel – the extremely talented musicians on the show. These two improvised a score to most of the show and contributed amply to the comedy of the night. Improvising the score to a comedy show takes at least as much wit as being up on stage and these two have that wit in spades.
I’m glad to have had this opportunity to stumble upon the Big HOO-HA. The atmosphere of healthy audience participation (including some beautifully cult-like call and response chants) made me feel instantly welcome and at ease. I’m sure I’ll be back for more.
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
The Big HOO-HA! 6th Birthday Show
Ensemble for this show: Amberly Cull, Ashleigh Phillips, Brianna Williams, Cameron Neill, Greg Lavell, Jason Geary, Lee Naimo, Louisa Fitzhardinge, Luke Ryan, Natalie Holmwood, Paul Richards, Sarah Reuben
Host: Matt Saraceni
Musicians: Jaron Why, Caleb Garfinkel
Weekly shows Fridays 8pm at The Butterfly Club​, Melbourne
