Aunty Donna – New Show
Sketch comedy has had a long and glorious tradition in Australian television, but in the brave new social media world, YouTube has become more and more the means by which artists bring their craft to the world. Aunty Donna have made the online medium their own with hits in the millions and over a hundred thousand subscribers to their channel out in YouTube land.
Digital tomfoolery is one thing, but making the jump to a live audience is a different beast. Sydney audiences will get to witness the transition first hand in a break-neck 60 minutes of plain silliness.
Having arrived on the Melbourne comedy scene in 2012 with their debut show, Aunty Donna in Pantsuits, they bring their new show – aptly titled New Show – to the Sydney Comedy Festival.
Playing fringe festivals around the country, New Show has been described as like being stuck in a live, sweaty, loud tornado. It’s Hi-5 meets Monty Python and Michael Jordan playing basketball with the Looney Toons aliens.
At the core of Aunty Donna is the writing and performing of Mark Samuel Bonanno, Broden Kelly and Zachary Ruane. They see their relationship between the live and online medium as symbiotic.
“We write specifically for YouTube and we write specifically for our live stuff. It’s a really cool thing because if you’ve seen our YouTube stuff, and you come and see it live, you’re going to see the same characters engage people and play with people – something you can’t do on YouTube.”
Take care where you sit. The front row is only slightly more dangerous than everywhere else. (GW)
Apr 21–24, 8:15 pm. The Giant Dwarf, 199 Clevland Street, Redfern. $25-$30. Tickets & info: sydneycomedyfest.com.au or 02 9020 6966.
