Image from www.thisissiberianhusky.com
The hour-long one-man show’s plot centres on Cardinal Zotroid, a Middle Ages cardinal belonging to a religious sect who believe the earth to be flat. After being turned to stone by a rather ocker pope, Zotroid and his assistant Ziggy awaken in the year 2014, and begin plotting to flatten the earth, no matter what it takes. (And yes, it’s a solo show – Godfrey plays all these characters, and many, many more.) There’s not necessarily a deeper meaning to be wrought from a show where a gangly guy in a mustache depicts Clive Palmer riding a tyrannosaurus rex, but with action like that, you don’t really need one.
The Earth Is Flat is more narrative-driven than most of This Is Siberian Husky’s work, although the duo’s style of humour and the neat trick of tying up running jokes in the dying minutes of the show is still present. Godfrey is a seasoned performer who has no issue with holding the room on his own terms. The show delivers everything from wry chuckles to full, surprised belly laughs, as well as everything in between.
If there’s a quibble to be fashioned out of this, it could be that The Earth Is Flat is so reminiscent of This Is Siberian Husky’s work that it’s a little hard not to miss Godfrey’s usual partner in crime, Dan Allenmann. This doesn’t change the fact that this is a truly funny show, however, and it cements Godfrey as a tour de force of comedic writing.
It also has just about the best joke about equine physics going around, and is worth the price of admission for that alone.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
The Earth Is Flat
Written and performed by Simon Godfrey
Lithuanian Club, North Melbourne
Melbourne Fringe Festival
www.melbournefringe.com.au
Until 4 October
