English duo Max & Ivan are back and they’re better than ever with a raft of new eccentric characters to add to their sketch swag.
Max Olesker and Ivan Gonzalez are well-known faces at MICF these days and won a nomination for a Barry Award back in 2013. But they haven’t lost any of their sparkle – the show is as fast-paced, witty and hilarious as ever.
This year’s offering introduces us to the fairly unremarkable Sudley-On-Sea, a small English town that time appears to have left behind. It’s full of the usual small-town colourful locals, who Max & Ivan bring to life as only the best of sketch can.
The story twists and turns as Sudley-on-Sea heads towards nuclear meltdown (long story) and follows the fate of each of the characters. As in all the shows, incredible writing leads to some phenomenal story intersections and call-backs and a touching and emotional finale.
One of the highlights of the show was a fast-paced scene towards the end, as the characters do their best to enjoy the final hours of their lives in the town and possibly on earth. Flashing quickly between stories we see a pair of competitive tapestry-weaving sisters find mutual understanding, a long-term married couple consummate their relationship in tremendously x-rated fashion (is spitting into someone’s crotch a thing?) and a father and son make their peace after years of resentment. God help me they even find a way to fit an entire shadow-puppet scene into the proceedings.
It’s as strong as any of the shows Max & Ivan have brought to Melbourne and if you’re a sketch fan, seeing this show is an absolute no-brainer.
BY ISABELLE ODERBERG
