Reviewed on Tuesday September 24
Oddball entertainment doesn’t begin to describe the quirky and amusing hour that isOddfellows. As part of the2013 Sydney Fringe Festival,Oddfellowsis not your average play; it’s not even scripted, supposedly.Jenny Hopedirects comedy and improvisation savantsDavid CallanandMarko Mustacin a peculiar mix of improv and slapstick whileBryce Hallidayknocks about on keys. What’s delivered is certainly worthy of a few chuckles.
Callan and Mustac seem to want audiences to recognise the simplicity of what they’re trying to achieve, but they’ve obviously put a lot of work into this performance, which is just one of the many confusing aspects of the play. Nevertheless, the clever journey that proceeds onstage is hilariously chaotic; who knew that there existed a sordid underworld of corrupt coffee roasters and crazed coffee bean cartels? This is what Callan and Mustac discover on their quest to deliver the best homebrewed coffee beans at their coffee shop. Travelling from Bondi beach to Calabria and back, the duo come across some eccentric characters, which they somehow manage to embody while still playing their original characters. Yes, like I said. Chaos.
While the storyline is amusing enough and contains just the right amount of pop culture references – Breaking Bad seems to be the order of the day – the sharp wit of Callan and Mustac that’s musically punctuated by Halliday, is what keeps the show going. With over 20 years of improv and comedy experience between the two, their finely honed stagecraft and comedic timing is what gives this performance a unique edge.
2.5/5 stars
BY HAYLIE PRETORIUS
