The Wharf Revue: Debt Defying Acts!

I watched the (repeat) ABC's broadcast of this tonight. In terms of the cast, Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe, Phillip Scott and Amanda Bishop, Debt-Defying Acts contains remarkably talented people. As a revue it was forced to the point of being tiring. The writing was clever but misses the point of being a revue - to make people laugh. Clever isn't funny. The studio audience, mostly the theatre subscriber blue rinse set it appeared, played their part by being polite enough to care. They laughed on cue at the regular smattering of swear words. Tittered at other times. That was it.
The rest of the show was a respectful attempt by the performers to convince the audience that what they were doing was clever, therefore funny.

They weren't rude or pushy about it. They demonstrated a high level of skill and execution in performing the sketches. It just wasn't funny. Why? Because there was no play between them. Each performer looked as if they would perform their part in exactly the same way, in isolation. Their performance didn't require anyone to play off. Accordingly, no dialogue was formed with the audience. The direction the performers were given/took was to succeed.
In doing so they discarded any chemistry of fun, for themselves or the audience.
Perhaps they didn't have enough rehearsal time, and went for getting it right over developing a process of fun between themselves. Whatever the reason, the show ended up being a representation of fun, rather than fun. That these very experienced actors are the vanguard of Sydney Theatre Co. talent, it's disappointing that The Wharf Revue should be a middling lowlight to their year.

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