Oyster Boy / Lower the Bar live @ The Cell 07.03.2021
Written by Rob Stewart on March 14, 2021
Those magnificent human beings from Artback NT have been working with another group of fine humans from the Gove Arts Theatre and they have been working earnestly to bring to us mere beings the joyous craft of seriously creative artists.
Sunday the 7th of March was a standout point in case. Myself and others made our way to the Cell to bear witness to not one, but two shows in the one day.
We were treated to Oyster Boy first, a solo performance by Kyle Walmsley. The tale told was of an Oyster whose inevitable fate was to be shucked. We were privy to his shells interior, his relationship with his mum and dad oyster, his fears, his hopes, and his hopelessness. It was acted sublimely, written skilfully, it was witty, tragic, engagingly good and ultimately left you wondering, where the bloody hell did that idea come from? It was a genius way to start the affair and managed to effectively disarm us for what was about to ensue in the next show Lower the Bar.
Where Oyster Boy was narrative driven, Lower the Bar was fast, physical, interactive, sketch style comedy that had the laughing gear working overtime.
A more dynamic comedy duo would be hard to find, Sarah Rueben and Kyle Walmsley have a seemingly intuitive sense of each other and sure know how to work as a team. Their characters like DJ Dicks, Dicks,Dicks and DJ Cock and Balls were so recognisable and familiar it felt like they knew the people that we too thought were twats? Their wet, moist, seasons hotline workers have to be heard in order to get a true grip of Sarah and Kyle’s insightful appreciation of every Territory quirk, and idiosyncratic nuance. In fact Lower the Bar is so Territory-Centric it should come come with a warning like, Non Territorian’s, should probably stay at home cos they won’t get it and they’ll spend the whole show looking at each other shrugging shoulders as to why the rest of the crowd are pissing themselves, and then they will no doubt inevitably start dictating in their mind their trip advisor review on how disappointed they were that they didn’t understand any of the jokes, and the bar didn’t stock almond latte diet pale ale.
Thanks Artback NT, The Gove Arts Theatre and Sarah and Kyle, I had a bloody top night out.
I write stuff down when I can find a spare moment, I try not to work too hard.
Reader's opinions
You may also like
Continue reading
