Mudcrabs: The Box Set

Mudcrabs:The Box Set,作为墨尔本国际喜剧节其中一环,一共四场演出。昨晚他们的第一场演出顺利上演。这是一部得到生动展现的喜剧小品,Mudcrabs的九位成员不同程度的投入成就了一场充满活力和光芒的表演。这部不拘一格的作品中呈现的裸露、对吸引异性的形式的蔑视以及不同口音的展示,使得它能够成为一部吸引所有人的小品。 每一个演员都将自身的特点融入他们不同的角色当中,其中,Ben Volchok 和 Matthew Schäffner展示了在角色之间灵活切换的高超技巧。两人成功地展现了一系列的角色,并在过程中利用了喜剧道具之间的差异。然而,由于观众的笑场,演员们的表演开始失准,导致精心准备的角色变得失真,最终完全偏离整个演出。 就在这时候,David Mastrantuono闪亮登场,他的每一幕都会让人目不转睛。他的付出让喜剧得到升华。他对口音精准的把握,深化了他的角色,这点是足以让人称道的,也让他在演员当中成为独一无二的存在。 剧组之中显然发生了奇妙的化学反应,由此诞生了一个敢于冒险和挑战喜剧极限的紧密团体。演员们的热情与活力支撑着每一幕,甚至在一些放慢的片段里依旧能娱乐观众。遗憾的是,这些闪光点虽然很多,但是对时间的把握是迟钝的,这导致了表演经常出现尴尬的停顿,结果则是表演失去了气势,让一个高质量的喜剧片段白白错失。 然而,一些在介绍部分中并不出彩的笑点,在后来的表演中得到了积极的回应。这些被重提的笑点成了活跃和娱乐观众最有效的手段。同样的,事实证明,这些围绕学生生活的笑点最为成功,是因为笑点是为观众量身订造的。显而易见的是,正是因为演员们对创造的这些相关的片段最为自信,所以他们才能在这些片段当中绽放光彩。 灯光和音效同样出彩,两者都只为突出演员而服务。布景与道具也非常简约,配合剧院里的昏暗,表演的主体和人物都得到了非常有效的呈现。 这同样适用于肢体语言喜剧,这是某些片段里非常重要的组成部分。而在这些片段里往往效果最为明显,甚至一个手势都能对对话部分起到加强的作用。Jack McGorlick饰演的裸体警探也佐证了这点,他的角色对其他全是对话的片段起到一个缓冲的效果。 最后,Mudcrabs是一部绝对能让你捧腹大笑的,充满活力的作品,不管这是源于自信心十足且敢于冒险的演员,还是源于被巧妙呈现的构思。这就是传统喜剧小品当中一个充满欢乐和失误的强大团体演出。 Lucy Holz Translated by Eason Zhang from Theatreshow Melb.  翻译:Eason Zhang(墨尔本好戏连台翻译员)   Continue reading Mudcrabs: The Box Set

Death of a Salman: Energetic and Amusing

A night full of amusement and laughter, MUSLSA’s annual charity play Death of a Salman opened last night to begin its three night run. With little connection to the play its title satirises, the show instead portrays a parody of the classic murder mystery plot, all presented through a light-hearted and comedic lens. The plot follows an eclectic bunch of characters who are invited to … Continue reading Death of a Salman: Energetic and Amusing

Gala: Comedy That Celebrates Comedy

As a part of the Melbourne University Comedy on Campus festival, the Comedy Gala was a fun and entertaining night featuring a number of acts, from student up-and-comers to established comedians. Just the sheer diversity in all the acts was itself the strongest element of the show. The performers displayed a number of different comedic styles. All acts throughout the night were stand-up, with the … Continue reading Gala: Comedy That Celebrates Comedy

Mudcrabs: A Set of Successful Sketches

Mudcrabs: The Box Set, opened last night for the first of their four night run, as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. A lively demonstration of sketch comedy, Mudcrabs’ nine members demonstrated varying levels of commitment to pull off an energetic and rousing performance. With nudity, defiance of heterosexual norms and an array of accents, this eclectic show is guaranteed to present a sketch … Continue reading Mudcrabs: A Set of Successful Sketches

Out-Of-This-World Comedy

The Mudcrabs’ contribution to Melbourne Fringe Festival was Mudcrabs in Space, a sketch comedy show that surprisingly, doesn’t have that much to do with space. The opening of the show wasn’t particularly funny, unfortunately, simply featuring the seven comedians repeating one joke again and again, getting increasingly louder. It was predictable, but definitely wasn’t an indicator of what was to come, for it was followed by … Continue reading Out-Of-This-World Comedy

(Im)pure Imagination

Welcome to a world we thought we knew. A world where ‘pure imagination’ makes children feel like anything is possible. These dreams will be stomped on as you visit the factory of Willy Wanka: a complete disaster and downright wanka. Willy Wanka follows the original plot of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, but with the added threat of bankruptcy. You’ll need to go and see … Continue reading (Im)pure Imagination