THE WHARF REVUE is alive and well in 2023 and back on again at the Seymour Centre.  It has logged up 26 productions and has a vast and loyal following who fill their theatres each year.

The WHARF REVUE : PRIDE IN PREJUDICE will tour extensively in 2024 to Brisbane, Melbourne, Newcastle, Wollongong and many NSW towns including Orange, Tamworth, Wyong and Dubbo.

The creative writing team of Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe and Phillip Scott have done a sterling job with the 15 brilliant sketches…clever, raunchy and very very funny.  Scott unfortunately wasn’t on stage this year.

Musical director Andrew Warboys provided dynamic, diverse keyboards. He certainly livened up the show.

Performers Jonathan Biggins, Mandy Bishop, Drew Forsythe and David Whitney (returning this year), are an impeccable team.  A unified and commanding ensemble.   Such a delight hearing them sing together.  Their opening song, “The Bonnets” is invigorating.  Whitney has a very deep, rich voice from his years with Opera Australia and musical theatre. Bishop’s voice gets stronger each year.  Biggins as well.

Forsythe mixes good comical singing and superb character voices with an ability to move so fluidly on stage.  A highlight of the show is his Groucho Marx tribute song to Greens Senator, Lidia Thorpe (imaged on screen).  The re-working of an old Groucho tune, “Lidia oh Lidia” is hilarious.  As is Forsythe’s entrance as Joe Biden, who shuffles in at snail’s pace to join Ambassador Caroline Kennedy (Bishop).

The huge video screen at the back of the stage is very animated this year.

Kevin Rudd makes an appearance on screen looking remarkably like Phil Scott. Scott interrupts the proceedings several times with his rantings about China.

Albo and his inner circle are clowning around as the ‘Merry Men’ in the “Robin Hood” sketch and are labelled the inactive party.

Forsythe’s Guiliani and Biggins’ Trump are very funny in their Jailbreak sketch.

David Whitney has perfected his Peter Dutton ‘wooden’ stance and deep monotone voice as he sings in the “South Pacific” sketch – “I’m Just A Guy Who Must Say No”.

There is so much more to see.  “The Crown” sketch.  ‘Charles REX…..everything.  Forsythe brings back ‘The Queen’ and Bishop plays ‘Diana’ with her usual brilliant character voice.  Biggins does his fabulous King Charles, hand in pocket, plum in mouth.  “Robo Debt” Robot is grilled by David Marr.  Forsythe does a touching plea from “Costa” to save the plants and planet.

Kudos to the creative crew for their contribution:

Costume Designers: Scott Fisher and Hazel Fisher.

Video Director: Todd Decker

Sound/Video systems Designer: Cameron Smith

Lighting Designer: Matt Cox

I strongly advise that laughter is good for your immune system so you must see THE WHARF REVUE: PRIDE IN PREJUDICE. The show  plays at the Seymour Centre until December 17th 2023 and tours in 2024.

Featured image : David Whitney, Mandy Bishop and  Jonathan Biggins do ‘Pride In Prejudice’  Production  photography by Vishal Pandey