Martin Short - Live

Presented by: Crown Melbourne & A-List Entertainment

Venue: The Palms at Crown

Reviewer: Simon Parris

Date Reviewed: Thursday 28th May, 2009
 

Martin Short - what a career he had! Ok, so that is a little cruel, no crueler than his many taunts and barbs to a long list of Australian and international celebrities, but with his best movie and stage roles possibly behind him it is worth reflecting on what iconic hits they were. ‘The Three Amigos’, ‘Father of the Bride I & II’, ‘Mars Attacks’, not to mention ‘The Goodbye Girl’ and ‘Little Me’ on Broadway. Throw in years of comedy performances and two Broadway ‘one man’ shows and you have plenty of material for a night of solo comedy and music.

After a hilarious highlights reel, Short took to the Palms stage with gusto. The large auditorium felt like a more intimate comedy venue, such was the strength of projection of his warmth and humour. With just a pianist for accompaniment, he created a world of characters and characterisations that made for non-stop laughter.

While there was plenty of heightened fiction mixed in with Short’s reminiscences, even exaggerated sequences were surely based on some facts. One could certainly imagine young Martin creating the Jackie Rogers Jr talk show in his attic, interviewing a shaky Katherine Hepburn, a somber Richard Burton and an extravagant Elizabeth Taylor (not sure how Gen Y fans coped with all this but there was plenty for everyone overall).

Further classic clips were scattered throughout the night, each introducing the next segment. We were treated to a ‘Three Amigos’ tribute, a visit from the mincing Franck from ‘Father of the Bride’ and, as the climax of the evening, a fully staged interview by Jiminy Glick. A very quick change turned Short into the sweaty, obese madcap celebrity interviewer Glick. The ‘unwitting’ celebrity interviewee, Shaun Micallef, fielded probing questions on his past, with Jiminy reminding him all the while that he was not actually interested in any of his answers. Comments like “You must have been a really boring lawyer” made Dame Edna sound polite.

For the Broadway fans, Short performed some of ‘Real Live Girl’ from his Tony winning turn in ‘Little Me’. A couple of songs were from his recent Broadway outing ‘Fame Becomes Me’, which featured music and lyrics by Scot Wittman and Marc Shaiman of ‘Hairspray’ fame.

Martin Short claims that “he wouldn’t be here if he’d saved”. Lucky for the audience he didn’t!

Simon has appeared in about 40 productions over the past thirty years. Recent roles include Uncle Henry/Guard of the Gate in The Wizard of Oz (Catchment) and Eugene Fodor in Crazy for You (Whitehorse). Other favourite roles include Mr Fox in Mack and Mabel, Max in The Sound of Music, Freddy in My Fair Lady, Julio in Paint Your Wagon, Marcellus in The Music Man and Grantaire in Les Miserables.

Simon has directed several school productions. Recently he choreographed Urinetown and Little Shop of Horrors for St Michael’s Grammar School. He is currently directing Hot Mikado for St Michael’s, to be staged at the Athenaeum Theatre in May.

Simon has served on the Music Theatre Guild of Victoria Committee for five years, and is currently Treasurer. He is also a keen audience member, having seen over 50 shows in five weeks on a recent trip to New York and London.