Clare Cavanagh has a fun little show playing as part of the Sydney Comedy Festival’s FRESH Program, which showcases up and coming talent.
THRILLED YOU’RE HERE begins as we meet Clare “Party” Cavanagh welcoming us to her party. Fast talking, gracious and eager to please (read that as meaning – stay at her party) Clare gives us a tour of her spacious stage and a bit of an insight into how she got to be the party animal she appears not to be. Year 10 boy-girl but not real, real party aside we can tell that this one is going to be a blast.
The character that Cavanagh brings first onto the stage is a gentle comic creation. Interacting easily with the crowd and stopping occasionally, lost in thought, before “… doesn’t matter!” she presents as an easy-going host who has a very peculiar assortment of guests.
The conceit of the show works well, as we are introduced to a succession of guests from Trev, a best man making his speech, to the acronymic party fire warden. There is also a surprise guest who, at the very least, gives the audience a chance to “go wild”.
By the way, I would warn you against the front row, ma chéri, but Cavanagh’s manifestations are likely to go anywhere in the crowd. Especially when the ego is loose … in the form of a two-chord ukulele player! She has the best uke joke I have heard and follows it up with a cracker elephant joke! And some pretty terrific improvisational work as she prepares to pen a ditty right in front of us.
THRILLED YOU’RE HERE is also very well written. The jokes are character based and there’s some lovely physical comedy built in too. The pace is snappy, nothing too laboured, and the characters stop sensibly short of being actory. It’s a warm,neat, funny, package that sends you off with a smile and a keen interest in attending her next big event. Paaaarty!!
You have one more chance to see THRILLED YOU’RE HERE , tonight Friday 27th April. [ Facebook Event]
When she’s not throwing herself parties, Clare Cavanagh is part of explosive Sydney improv troupe Confetti Gun [Facebook], who were invited to perform in the prestigious Del Close Marathon in New York City in 2017. A member of the Improv Theatre Sydney faculty and ensemble, she is a regular on the Sydney improv scene. Clare was runner up in the 2017 Cranston Cup Grand Final and hosts Sydney University’s weekly Theatresports show. Clare has trained at Improv Theatre Sydney, New York City’s Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre and Chicago’s Second City. In 2018, she was selected to be part of Tessa Waters’ mentorship program.