Monkey Barrel Comedy – Monkey Barrel 4
Aug 23-28 (19:50)
For my penultimate show of this year’s Fringe I thought I’d check out the Stamptown emperor himself, stripping his comedy circus down to an audience with just him – & the brilliant Lucas Tamaran from Thumpasaurus on keyboards, who could recreate the sounds & virtuosic playing of just about any instrument you can think of. Before the gig there was a bing-bang-bosh musical build-up & the atmosphere felt more like that of a football match, as the largely 30 year old audience were readying themselves for the tempest. Then, within seconds of Zach trumpeting onto the stage, I’d coined a new adjective – Elvisesquean. Beautiful to look at it, beautiful to immerse in, Zach Zucker is a true showman & could well be in a Hollywood movie, & perhaps should, which just happens to be the loose thread that ties his hour together. Zach’s ‘Spectacular Industry Showcase’ unfurls like the sails of brigantine; a sequence of characters, sketches, & audience participation – or should I really say integration -, old skool visual gags & cheeky little ninja tunes, all of which cornucopia presents the audience with no choice but to laugh heartily & trip off on the wow factor.
This is what the industry does, they plague you with the worst crowd in the festival
Zach is a consummate clown, his mastery of the techniques are subtle yet significant & converts his set from the strong to the sublime. He has actually turn’d a light-hanging flopsave into a major theme of his routine. His face is also of the top-grade clown archetype, we see him vulnerably letting people in with a doggerel plethora of mouth shapes & eyebrow shuffles. Blended together, we observe all the factors & trainings & inspirations which meld a master comedian together, & Zach can confidently hold his head most proudly among his performing peers.
Is there a chiropractor in here, my back hurts from carrying this entire festival
As he pommels his way thro a Lamborghini hour of scripted spontaneity, Zach transforms himself into some very amenable, entertaining fellows – the rapper, Little Penis Johnstone, & the Casanova, Antonio Bologna (Tony Baloney) were two of the best. His talent towers over the room with him even declaring he’s 12 foot 4 on a ladder in heels, which is about the right height for him as opposed to the mere mortals in the audience who can only sit back & wonder at (a) what the fu£k is going on & (b) why is it so fu£king cool.
Damo
Mumble Comedy 