(Aaron
McIlroy & Lisa Bobbert as the whacky Australians)
(Pic by Jason Bird)
Premium entertainment from this crazy
couple is a great way to end the year at Tina’s. (Review by Barry Meehan)
What can one say about Durban’s madcap duo
of husband and wife team Aaron McIlroy and Lisa Bobbert that hasn’t been said
in the past? Not a lot, but just in case you’ve never seen them before (and who
hasn’t?) they’re zany, weird, off-the-wall (and the chart), over-the-top and
politically-incorrect, but above all they know exactly what their loving
audience wants, and they certainly serve this up in huge dollops of
entertainment, which kept many in their Saturday night audience crying with
virtually non-stop laughter.
(Lisa
Bobbert as the drunken mother of the bride. Pic by Jason Bird)
The first half of Bloopers runs at a frenetic pace with Aaron and Lisa in various
outfits, wigs and characters, hurtling from one scenario to another. Their own
brand of comedy never stops, with some very original material and some internet-inspired,
such as the Songs That Shouldn’t Be
Played at Weddings segment. Lisa stands out with her drunken mother of the
bride speech, with Aaron excelling in Things
You Don’t say to Your Wife. The ultimate standout of the first half for me
though, was Aaron’s art critic dissection and destruction of Lisa’s ABBA
standard Waterloo. Comedy timing is
critical in this sketch, and both nailed it.
After interval, we were treated to the
Darwin Awards, a tongue-in-cheek honour, which originated on the internet
around the mid-80s. They recognize individuals who have supposedly contributed
to human evolution by selecting themselves out of the gene pool via death or
sterilization by their own actions. The two recipients of an Honorary Darwin
Award, are a rather horny Australian outback couple who should have met their
maker through their incredible stupidity while attempting to fish for crocs
from their boat but lived against all odds to tell the tale.
(Aaron
McIlroy as Vijay, Red Indian style. Pic by Jason Bird)
Later in the half, Aaron appears dressed as
a Red Indian singing Running Bear.
One thinks “what the heck is this?” but it soon becomes apparent as the “Red”
is dropped and one of his comedy staple characters, Vijay, takes us into a
rapid-fire dissertation of culture and all things related. Lisa joins him at
the end of the sketch for a spirited version of Jai Ho, which leads into the finale, with the audience on their
feet for a quick exercise class!
One word of warning about Bloopers. It contains rather more adult
and toilet humour than the normal (if you can call it normal) Aaron and Lisa
shows. Be that as it may, Bloopers is
still premium entertainment from this crazy couple, and is a great way to end
the year at Tina’s.
One note – I was standing at the ticket
counter when patrons were making their way into the theatre. Roland Stansell,
impresario extraordinaire, was asking attendees whether they had been to Tina’s
or any of the other Rhumbelows before. To a man, the answer was “No”. Here’s
hoping that patrons exposure to Bloopers
will make them regular theatre-goers at these entertainment venues.
Directed by Daisy Spencer, Bloopers has another performance today
at 14h00 and then runs from December 18 to 24, 2018. Performances until
December 23 on Fridays and Saturdays at 20h00 and on Sundays at 14h00. There
will be a performance on Monday, December 24 (Christmas Eve) at 14h00. Venue
opens 60 minutes before show for drinks.
Tickets R180 (no discounts available for
this show) and tables seat 6. No alcohol or food may be brought on to the
premises – there is a cash bar. Tickets are cash or EFT only. Secure parking is
available.
Seating is limited so early booking is
advised through Computicket or contact Roland (also for large group booking
discounts of 20 or more) on 082 499 8636 or email: roland@stansell.za.net or
visit http://events.durbantheatre.com/
(For Restaurant reservations contact 031
764 7843)
Tina’s Hotel is situated at 14 Beryldene
Road in Kloof. – Barry Meehan
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