Come Pay Our Rent – A Double Bill
Performers: Gabriel Levkowicz; Lachlan Berry; Jay MainsRating: ★★★
By MATTHEW SIMS
Two young Melbourne comics are breaking into the independent comedy scene with their down-to-earth and relatable stand-up in Come Pay Our Rent – A Double Bill.
Gabriel Levkowicz, 17, and Lachlan Berry, 22, along with their MC Jay Mains, 24, take turns discussing the trials and tribulations of their lives in Melbourne.
As their first independent show, Levkowicz and Berry prove they are both “everymen”, changing between topics such as the etiquette surrounding the use of urinals, the misrepresentation of the medical profession by the board game Operation and their many relationships, or lack thereof.
They are talented in reflecting society and themselves in various humorous ways. While their young age is at the centre of both acts, Levkowicz focuses more on his personal experiences and jazzing these stories up with his awkward yet familiar delivery.
Berry, on the other hand, balances this out with a more satirical and absurd edge. Mains rounds out the show by mixing the two styles in a more self-deprecating display where he generally puts himself in the way of the laughs.
Dressed in matching suits and performing in a quirky room complete with blue ukulele and accompanied by Kanye West’s music, they create a welcoming atmosphere which is maintained over the hour.
Relatively new to the comedy scene, Levkowicz and Berry, and even Mains, are still finding their footing. Not every joke gets the expected laughs.
Despite this, Levkowicz and Berry show promise for the future, with many years to grow and fill the places left by others. It's a fun night out.
Come Pay Our Rent is appearing as part of Melbourne Fringe Festival until October 3. Find ticketing information here.
David Rose & Michael Shafar – Outsiders
Performers: David Rose, Michael ShafarRating: ★★★½
By MATTHEW SIMS
Dynamically droll and socially relevant, David Rose and Michael Shafar offer up a night of laughs in Outsiders.
Displaying a great aptitude for being able to laugh at themselves and the rest of society, their comedy act showcases their talent and their friendship as they share their experiences as students and comedians.
Rose (No Regrets: The 2015 Law Revue), a 21-year-old law student, and Shafar (3 Little Gigs, Footy Couch), a 24-year-old ex-student of law, traverse their experiences in separate stand-up sets.
Shafar focuses on his Jewish heritage and the ridiculousness of the concept of religion as a whole, while placing himself on the level of the audience to welcome them into his world. In contrast, Rose begins by accepting the audience's criticisms of him and running with it, while also discussing some of the social issues affecting daily life.
It’s clear from the start that Rose and Shafar are good friends, and rather than presenting separate sets, they constantly interact with each other even when one is off-stage. They have complementary styles, but cover a wide range of topics – most of them ordinary stories elevated to the point of ridiculousness by their different delivery styles.
Shafar has an obvious gift for comic timing, while Rose's personality is a lot more off-the-cuff. Shafar begins with a joke about going to the United States and being unable to buy a zucchini because the guy at the checkout didn't know what a zucchini was, whereas Rose opens by asking the audience to guess how much he weighs and makes his thin figure the brunt of the joke.
Like most young comedians, remnants of other famous comics, such as Tommy Little and Jim Jeffries, are evident in Rose and Shafar's performance.
However, Rose and Shafar prove they have the natural talent to develop their jokes to continue to inspect the changing face of society.
Outsiders is appearing as part of Melbourne Fringe Festival until October 3. Find ticketing information here.
This review was originally published by Express Media as part of the Buzzcuts program.