It’s great to have the Wharf Revue team back again at this time a much larger venue, the Roslyn Packer Theatre, as a result of the current refurbishment taking place at the Wharf complex
The jokes kept coming as did most of our favourite characters. Malcolm Turnbull and the coup, with all the main players portrayed, was the first political skit. Turnbull saying, ‘Should I take the Lodge. You mean downsize!’
There was a skit with allusions to ‘Stomp’ about the way plastic has taken over our lives.
Our premier Gladys Berejiklian got her own skit which could have been a little tougher!
The Harvey Norman stores received a serve with their absolutely no interest campaigns-don’t miss this opportunity campaigns!
Barnaby Joyce made an appearance singing a country and western song saying he doesn’t do private interviews for free….
Drew Forsythe came on as a neatly coiffured Pauline Hanson with a bright pink jacket promoting her book ‘Pauline Hanson In Her Own Words’’. Forsythe had the audience in stitches as she addressed her concerns about Muslims conjugating everywhere, as well as her sideswipe at David Oldfield- ‘he is a much bigger fraud than I am!’
The Greens got a look in with a manic Sarah Hanson-Young making an appearance with the inimitable Bob Brown saying the Greens leader Richard Di Natale looks like a Wiggle!
Jonathan Biggins turn as former Prime Minister Paul Keating was a big highlight and again had the audience in stitches. Plenty of razor sharp observations followed. ‘Australians don’t know what a real leader looks like any more…You shouldn’t say Scott Morrison and leader in the same sentence.’ ‘Tony Abbott is the only man in history to bring down four governments, including the one he led!’ ‘Bill Shorten is as popular as diarrhoea’.
After this, it wasn’t long before Biggins came back, transformed into President Donald Trump. There was byplay about Trump’s sacking of his national security advisors. Trump’s obsession with Twitter was well portrayed. Drew Forsythe came on stage and joined him in various guises playing sparring partners, Silvio Berlusconi, Vladimir Putin and even the Queen. There was a bit of serious satire thrown in with the Queen all about ruling with dignity whilst Trump was all about ego and roughshod leadership..
There was even some byplay between the Queen and Prince Philip thrown in with an aside by the Queen about her husband (off-stage) ‘I’ve been trying to balance his medications for fifty years now’ which brought laughter.
These were just some of the highlights from this year’s Wharf Revue, an annual treat on the Sydney theatre scene. It was sad that Phil Scott is no longer part of the team. His absence was felt but the Revue team is still going strong. Biggins and Forsythe were in great form, their impersonations were spot on, the makeup, wigs and costumes were all good, and the pacing was excellent. They were supported by a trio of fine performers, Douglas Hansell, Andrew Worboys and Rachael Beck who helped with portraying other characters as well as contributing some flashy show/cabaret numbers.
The clowns are in good form. Try and catch the show if you can. The Wharf Revue is playing at the Roslyn Packer Theatre until 15 December 2018.