If you like laughing over a glass of good wine then this may be the show for you. It’s an excellent way to sample talent should you be an indecisive punter looking to discover the right comedy fit. The Exhibition Hall at the National Wine Centre provided a classy backdrop for this group of comedy oddballs.
Marcel Blanch- de Wilt played compère for the night and warmed the crowd up like a good Riesling. Blanch- de Wilt lined up a good variety of comedians who each had a show to plug for the Adelaide Fringe. Some patrons were lucky enough to be invited on stage to taste a glass of Amadio wine; a pro tip for those who want in on this deal is to sit in the front row, thereby exponentially increasing your chances of getting a free glass! Well, a quarter of one anyway.
The evening’s performance featured the talents of Sam Taunton, Carlo Ritchie, James McCann, Nicholas Capper, and Clare Cavanagh. With a mixture of improvisation, audience interaction, and alcohol (sampling), it was a lovely entrée to my Fringe season.
Taunton has been nominated for several comedy awards and has been featured on ABC Next Gen, Comedy Up Late, MTV and Triple J. He’s still not over his ex girlfriend and is in town performing in Straight From The Shoulder presented by Token Events.
Ritchie is one of the founding directors of Improv Theatre Sydney and one half of acclaimed improvised comedy duo The Bear Pack. Originally from the country and full of useless facts about the Titanic, he is part of the cast of Film Reads presented by Lisa Richards.
McCann is a writer, poet, playwright, political philosopher, rapper, and comedian. As the creator of hit comedy musicals The Sound of Nazis, and Wolf Creek: The Musical, he was voted Adelaide’s best comedian in 2016 and 2017. He’s left his pregnant wife at home to perform in Devil’s Advocate presented by Frontier Comedy.
Capper is a Melbourne-based stand-up comedian with over a decade of experience. He has been featured on Comedy Up Late, Gocsy’s Classics, and Triple J. He’s presenting and performing in Pig In The City when he’s not sleeping in his car.
Cavanagh is a Sydney-based comedian with experience acting, writing, directing and producing for the stage and screen, including for Tonightly with Tom Ballard. She is in town pretending to be other people and presenting and performing in her new show Literally.
Each comic had something to offer, but the standout was McCann with his nonchalant delivery that got me chortling. Check the @fringeatthenwc Instagram for lineup announcements and enjoy planning your Fringe season.
Rating: ★★★★
Reviewed performance: Saturday 16 February 2019
Venue: National Wine Centre
Season: until Tuesday 26 February 2019
