After reading the rather cryptic description of The 5:30 Show, it was hard to know what to expect from a bunch of boys from up north, however, it wasn’t long until the Canberrans let us all in on the secrets of their stellar stand-up showcase.
Opening up the show was our host, Harris Stuckey, a comic whose style can only be described as clever and quirky. With a deliberately emotionless tone, the straightshooter uses the power of contrast to immediately capture the crowd’s attention. Between creating zany characters and pointing out the humour in twisting typical comedic tools, Stuckey’s offbeat nature was absolutely intriguing. Highlighting the plot holes in many every-day nuisances, his ability to use cynical placed satire on subjects is unsurpassed. From kicking babies to lighting fires, Stuckey saturates the humourless his bizarre and blunt perspective that leaves you feeling guilty and brilliantly blasé at the same time.
Next up to grace the stage was the first of the Bensley brothers, Andrew Bensley. Touching on the culture of Fitzroy, the self-confessed hipster shared his stories with the audience effortlessly and eloquently. After sharing his grandfathers secret to dog attacks, Bensley brought up the reality of flat mates and the not-so happy ending of Thai massages. With a casually cool demeanour on stage, the talent made his audience feel immediately at home, comforting them with his down-to-earth and humble storytelling style. Although, it seemed that the real winner throughout his set was his knack for self-deprecation and the subtlety of his delivery.
After Andrew, Anthony Tomic took the stage. While he’s not always on the docket, it’s clear that the once-Melbourne man is more than welcome at The 5:30 Show. Discussing his inability to talk to strangers, Tomic has obviously overcome his supposed shortcomings when it comes to the stage. From masturbation to Netflix, he hit the Melbourne culture right on the head. Doubling as a public servant in Canberra, it’s hard to imagine the outrageous entertainer in any sort of a desk job; however, it may be what has him thinking ahead in an impressive storytelling stand-up set. With a cheeky grin and a hilarious take on piracy laws, Tomic’s projection and tone are truly tantalising.
Soon enough, the second Bensley brother bounded on stage. Danny Bensley’s style is mischievous and seriously smart. Weaving his jokes into one another, punch lines galore, it didn’t take Danny long to have us all leaning in and latching on. Challenging the mystery of the missed call, the depth of his commentary creates a large-scale set derived from instantly relatable small-scale scenarios. Like all great comedy, the majority of Danny’s material had us all wondering, ‘How on earth did he come up with that?’. The comic created various strange scenarios, placing us right in the centre of absurdity of it all. With a cunning disposition, subjects covered included his time working at a fast-food restaurant and the topical nature of typical life hacks.
Closing the show was the one and only, Shahed Sharify. A serial cynic and sadist, Sharify shocks audiences with his flat one-liners and distorted ideals. Admitting that he’s “no Jerry Seinfeld”, Sharify showcased intensity like no other, with eyes that daggered directly into the audience. With jokes about challenging children to chess and strangling disturbing dogs, Sharify’s stand-up is sure to surprise ticketholders, however it’s daring nature definitely pays off. Discussing the sights you may see on transport, it wasn’t long before he revealed the most eye-catching joke of all. Getting his kit off, Shahed Sharify is surely not shy and his set is sure to draw attention.
No matter what type of stand-up you’re searching for, you’re bound to find it at The 5:30 Show, for it is the ultimate local comedy showcase.
By Phoebe Robertson
