Review: Sydney Theatre Company Delivers Another Fabulously Witty WHARF REVUE with BACK TO BITE YOU

20th October 2016, 8pm, Wharf 1, Walsh Bay

The amazing creative minds of Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe and Phillip Scott have come together again for a look at Australian and Global politics with THE WHARF REVUE: BACK TO BITE YOU. With the recent Australian Federal Election, Britain's Brexit and America's impending vote, the legendary political satirists have a lot to play with and do so with hard hitting humour that has the audience roaring with laughter.

As with previous years, Wharf 1 Theatre is set up as a thrust performance space to allow performance across the raised rear walk and down in the central ring. A trompe l'oeil of Corinthian columns flanking the screen that serves to provide backdrops and additional video snippets sets the scene for the first part of the 90 minute performance.

Commencing in the birthplace of democracy, costume designers Scott Fisher and Nick Godlee have the ensemble in togas as they take on Ancient Greek and Roman versions of Australia's political players with hilarious accuracy, capturing speech patterns and physical mannerisms wonderfully. The short pieces work through a range of current topics from the Plebiscite, the narrow margin with which federal government power is held, the surprise new senators, some of which don't seem to realise that there is more than a change of décor for her new job, to the interesting and frightening changes occurring in the global political landscape. These pieces are presented in a variety of spoken word poetry, dialogue, monologue, dance and song with Musical Director Phillip Scott accompanying on piano.

For the opening night performance, Paige Gardiner stepped into the female roles at the last minute to join the regular trio of Biggins, Forsythe and Scott. Gardiner morphed wonderfully into the roles of Julie Bishop, Hillary Clinton and Jacqui Lambie, and presented a fabulously funny song and dance duet with Forsythe's Pauline Hanson. Biggins gets to stretch his long legs in some fabulous dance numbers that are a combination of highly amusing and mildly disturbing.

The quartet work beautifully together to present a fast paced, precise expression of the intricate text they have devised. As always, they cleverly include a range of topics, either directly or indirectly. Costuming is kept simple to transform the four into a range of characters, supported by the images on screen. They have pulled back on the number of television advertisements used as interesting fillers while costume changes are occurring backstage, focusing more on live performance and blended performances where live action is paired with screen video.

THE WHARF REVUE: BACK TO BITE YOU is another highly entertaining night of commentary on current events and well worth seeing for anyone interested in politics and the world in which they live in.

THE WHARF REVUE: BACK TO BITE YOU

Wharf 1, Sydney Theatre Company, Walsh Bay

18 October - 23 December 2016

*Whilst Sydney Theatre Company's website is reporting shows have Sold Out, check with the Box Office on (02) 9250 1777 as tickets may become available on the day of performance

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