First Review: The Sideshow

Whoever came up with the idea of bringing back The Big Gig as The Sideshow was inspired.

Since the demise of Hey Hey its Saturday there’s been a gaping, big hole in Saturday night variety / comedy.

This is just what the doctor ordered.

Drawing heavily (even blatantly) on the 1980s comedy format that starred Wendy Harmer, Glynn Nicholas and the Doug Anthony All Stars, this is its unapologetic love child.

Dwarfed in the carnival rostrum, McDermott is assured in a ringmaster role. His humour is cynical and smart, challenging the audience to keep up, although the canned laughter sweetening was a little heavy-handed. McDermott was clearly on the offense, make that the offensive, with his opening routine (please, no more Diana gags).

From there a lazy susan of comedy and variety acts, some familiar and some fresh, were the perfect mix. Tripod are always fun with their deft harmonies and under-achiever comedy. They slip neatly into the vacant DAAS slot. The Umbilical Brothers similarly assume a video role left by the long-forgotten Empty Pockets. Claire Hooper could have easily been the offspring of Jean Kittson.

The show similarly places it audience in between the ricochet humour of its acts, just as The Big Gig had done, and dresses the ugly camera equipment with festoon lights.

The new finds were a joy. Eddie Perfect’s biting cabaret will be a treat. The Kransky Sisters have emerged from behind SBS’ In Siberia Tonight to delight and baffle us with their deadpan delivery. Who else would sing with a guitar, a tuba and a singing saw?

And the Fondue Set are like a stunning surprise act that might have been thrown up by Red Faces.

Which brings me back to where I started.

I hope The Sideshow eats up the opportunities that are available to it in this lacking timeslot. It’s surprising nobody bothered to fill it before (Hint: Channel Nine, have you bothered to find Bert his own Parky timeslot yet?).