Bronwyn Fullerton

THE WHARF REVUE 2022 : LOOKING FOR ALBANESE

The Greens – Scott, Biggins, Bishop, Forsythe.
Mandy Bishop as Jacqui Lambie
Scott as Craig Kelly, Biggins as Clive Palmer, Bishop as Albo.
Bishop as Gillard, Biggins as Keating and Scott as Rudd

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The Seymour Centre foyer is brimming and buzzing with jovial anticipation, stacked for opening night in Sydney with the usual suspects;  long-time devotees, journalists, politicians – a testament to the respect and loyalty that this annual political satire has amassed over 27 seasons.

Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe, Phil Scott and Mandy Bishop are a formidable team – the pace is punchy, the music contagious and the characterisations hilarious.

The 2022 Wharf Revue was created by Biggins, Forsythe and Scott, and is performed by them along with Bishop. Biggins and Forsythe are Co-Directors and Scott is the Musical Director.   

After the stunning visuals of the opening song “Happy Days”, the team come back to wow us with “The Greens”, performed as The Wiggles.

There are 16 sketches and various video presentations, including “You Can’t Ask That” with various controversies and “Losers”, one of which is appropriately Biggins’ Trump and Forsythe’s Giuliani, all pre-recorded.

Bishop is outstanding in her portrayal of most of the female characters (the notable exceptions being Biggins’ stage-strutting Peta Credlin and Forsythe’s hilarious Pauline Hanson, Queen of Hearts). Bishop does a wonderful Jacqui Lambie, hosting the Tamworth Country Music Festival and a very glamorous, funky Allegra Spender, decked out in pale blue haute couture to the tune of “Big Spender”.

Bishop also plays “Albo in Wonderland”, where she encounters the waddling Tweedledum and Tweedledee, Scott as Craig Kelly and Biggins as Clive Palmer and various other Queensland identities.

A Labor Conference encounter with Bishop as Julia Gillard, Biggins as Paul Keating and Scott as Kevin Rudd was a favourite with the audience, the three doing a medley together on the piano.

Forsythe surprises us with a compassionate rendition of Johnny Cash’s song “Ghost Writers In The Sky” – dedicated to the fallen Afghanistan soldiers.

Accolades go out to Phil Scott for his beautiful piano playing and arrangements.  

Congratulations to the crew;  Matt Cox for his Lighting Design, Todd Decker for his Video Direction, Cameron Smith for Sound and Video design, and Hazel and Scott Fisher for their fabulous Costume Designs.

I insist that you bring your friends and family to see the Wharf Revue 2022.

God knows we need a good laugh in these tumultuous times.

The Wharf Revue 2022 plays at the Seymour Centre, York Theatre, until the 23rd December, 2022

 

Published by Bronwyn Fullerton

Bronwyn Fullerton worked as an actress and singer for over 20 years after training with Hayes Gordon at The Ensemble Theatre Studios in Sydney in the 70s. She has worked for The Ensemble Theatre, Stables Theatre, Griffin Theatre Company, Sydney Opera House, Sydney Festival, Theatre-in-Education touring, Rocks Theatre at The Sailor’s Home, Balmain Loft, North Coast Theatre Co., Giniby Theatre Co., Bondi Pavilion Theatre and two years with the Marionette Theatre of Australia, including a tour from Alice Springs to Arnhem Land. As well as Film and Television (Chopper Squad) and Voice Overs, Bronwyn worked for the Gate Theatre Club in London and studied mime in Paris. She now teaches ESL English to foreign students and completed a Post-Grad in Film & Video at UTS in 2009/10.