What: Barbecue Pack - Two One Man Shows together at last
Who: SKP Media & Paper Cut Produtions
Where: Rechabites
When: Wednesday 2 November

Jesus God damn! I am still sore from laughing. It is a rare thing for me to post a review on this site, and rarer still to gush like a little girl on centre stage at an N*Sync and Backstreet Boys joint reunion. But this was FUNNY!

I'd like to give a sensinsible a well-thought out review. But it's late and I need to go to bed. Besides I don't think I could say anything more about what happens in the shows other than what is already on the "What's On" page. But here goes...

The first show (the order will be reversed next week, I hear) was Shane Adamczak's "Zack Adams: A complete history of Zack Adams". The show essentially follows a young Perthite's chart of glory from Primary school to performing a one-man show at the Rechabite's. Filled with foibles, faux pas' (what is the plural of faux pas?) and fancy footwork, it kept the audience wanting more. Shane/Zack is a pleasure to watch, with great timing, charming ideas and most impressive, a truly transformative physicality, especially in the face region. In 45 minutes he took me from being a punter hoping for a bit of free booze, to a fan.

Then blow me down if the second half with John Robertson wasn't even better (although Shane did warm the crowd up). His Gallipoli veteran character was, well, good. Very good. Laugh till you cry, then pause, make choking noises, laugh more, feel your jaw muscles lock up, laugh more, and then realise a little bit of pee has come out...good.

His expert timing and rhythym made this caustic Gallipoli veteran seem like a sort of comic Fred Astaire. That is a dreadful analogy, it was nothing like that. I think the only way to sum up how good this was is to quote some lines and then do them with the delivery, timing and sheer bravura that John did. But then again you could just go see the show.

Applause to the directors. Slick performances like that couldn't possibly be the sole responsibility of the actors. But I couldn't notice any direction, and that is the best kind of direction there can be.

Tech worked well, but I don't think you'd call this a tech heavy show. Although Shane's show did feature some acting with an off-stage voice. A tricky thing at best.

But simply put. This is so f***ing funny, it makes for poor hygiene in the Rechabites.

Run, don't walk, to the State Library and book your ticket now. If you don't like this show, then I 100% guarantee you are a humorless philistine possibly of German descent.

GO! GO! GO!

Schnell!

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