Tom Maxwell

Lewis Schaffer

Having the ironic power to shock

14 Aug 2008

A show with the title America is the Greatest Country in the World is probably ironic, but it's difficult to tell at first. What is for certain is that Lewis Schaffer has a talent for making people laugh, often at his own misfortune. The Jewish New…

Aliens Ate My Schnitzel!

14 Aug 2008

Generally speaking, Fringe sketch shows with deliberately wacky titles are about as entertaining as the Star Wars prequels. This is no exception. This duo barely have enough half-decent material to fill five minutes, let alone an hour. The pop music…

The Axis of Awesome

In a word: awesome

14 Aug 2008

Catchy tunes, brilliant lyrics and hilarious banter make this one of the most feelgood shows around. Australia's answer to Spinal Tap start with a spot-on parody of Europop before singing about adult mutant ninja turtles and a Bond villain with a lazy…

Count Arthur Strong

14 Aug 2008

There's bumbling idiocy aplenty as Steve Delaney's masterful creation makes a triumphant return. Wearing mismatched shoes and with a coat hanger dangling from his jacket, the deluded elderly Doncaster thesp takes you through some of his career…

Clarkson and Crouch

14 Aug 2008

Given the obvious talent of writers and performers Jonathan Clarkson and Rob Crouch, this show simply doesn't deliver as many laughs as it should. Seeing two of the Thundercats being reunited at a former colleague's funeral and watching Shelley and…

Juliet Meyers

14 Aug 2008

While vaguely interesting, Meyers' tales about travelling to India to learn more about her family's history can hardly be described as side-splitting. All too often you find yourself waiting for a punchline that doesn't come, while the fact that this…

Clever Peter

It's the League of Pythons!

7 Aug 2008

Sketch shows are generally hit and miss affairs, but Clever Peter's unswerving ability to hit the target would put Phil Taylor to shame. Don't let the inclusion of libidinous gorillas and plastic penises fool you into thinking their brand of humour…

Laurence Clark

7 Aug 2008

Whether he's collecting money to kill puppies or pay off his mortgage, most people give generously to Laurence Clark because he's in a wheelchair. Using hidden cameras, the comedian with cerebral palsy exposes stupidity and ignorance to devastating…

Edward Aczel

7 Aug 2008

If it's quick-fire gags or humorous musings on the human condition you're after, look elsewhere. Aczel's entire routine is based on the fact that he's ill-prepared and can't really be bothered. It's quite amusing to begin with, but at some point you may…

David Longley

7 Aug 2008

As intense and intelligent a performer as you're likely to see all summer, Longley is as angry with himself as he is at the rest of the world. The super-cynical comedian not only tells great jokes, but you sense that his rants on everything from sex to…

The Duck That Died for No Reason

7 Aug 2008

Not everything makes a great deal of sense, but Frankly Robert Productions' latest sketch show contains plenty of laughs and moments of genuine poignancy. The best bits revolve around the scurviest video pirate ever to sail the seven seas and a former…