It seemed fitting that the set design for this years RAW Comedy National Grand Final depicted a wild jungle scene, complete with all kinds of weird and wonderful creatures, all clearly battling it out to be king or queen of the jungle. Over 1,050 budding stand up comics entered this years stint of the national open-mic competition, before a final 12 were submitted to the grand final, to indeed, battle it out.
All beaming with a rightful sense of pride in their achievements, the 12 up-and-comers took to the illustrious main room in Melbourne’s Town Hall before a meaty crowd and a host of TV cameras. None of this seemed to be of bother however, as each contestant genuinely looked like they had been tapping away at the comedy craft for years.
In fact, it was Master of Ceremonies Nazeem Hussain (a past contestant of the competition and now widely lauded comedian) who seemed to be the most at odds with the circumstances, fumbling his jokes and re-doing his lines for the camera numerous times.
The RAW contestants took to the stage as though it was their millionth performance however, with Darwin-native David Woodhead a shining example. He joked that he had only just turned 18, when in fact his mammoth height and amount of facial hair make him seem far older. But with his youth by no means a barrier for a stellar performance, he worked the crowd easily, demonstrating a clear knack for being on stage.
Adelaide born Lewis Garnham also shone, with his set taking aim at his hometown. While the idea of poking fun at Adelaide seems a little unoriginal, Garnham whipped out a frank and hilarious analysis of the city’s public transport system in particular, earmarking him as a quick and clever comic.
Victoria’s Michael Shafar oozed a confidence to be admired while on stage, his cool and calm nature making him all the more likeable. The butt of his set was largely his religion, Judaism, which he attacked with originality and wit.
Coming in as runner up for the competition was NSW’s Clinton Haines whose approach was none-other than wacky. His style might be an acquired taste, but his ridiculous one-liners and dance moves definitely had their moments.
But it was Victoria’s Danielle Walker who took out the big prize, bragging rights, and of course a trip to perform at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival’s So You Think You’re Funny? Competition. Walker’s purposefully awkward persona was highly endearing and her sense of comedic rhythm and timing was near perfect, adding all the more effect to her punch lines. She covered her dismal dating life and an unfortunate circumstance watching Game Of Thrones with her dad.
It’s exciting to think about the future of Australian comedy, after the level of talent that RAW produced this year. Although some moments of the night certainly went awry, these finalists boast a charm and a potential that should see them go to great places.
BY ABBEY LEW-KEE
