The Wharf Revue: Pride in Prejudice

There are so many laughs in The Wharf Revue: Pride in Prejudice that I want to see it again immediately! This show is so much more than know-it-all political satire: it is cleverly constructed and thoughtfully scripted; it provides much-needed comic relief through an overview of crazy current events that will make you think while you are crying with laughter! Key to the success of the 20-something-year-old revue is the astuteness and craft of its creators, Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe and Phillip Scott, and the experience that the performers bring to their sharp material. Jonathan and Drew are joined on stage by David Whitney and Amanda Bishop to bring to life a myriad of political and pop culture characters. Musical Director Andrew Worboys has worked with the Wharf Revue team in the past, so the clever musical numbers are a real treat, with brilliant keyboard musical accompaniment by Michael Tyack.

The Jane Austen skit that sets the Pride in Prejudice scene tackles colonialism, feminism and racism straight up – but in drag. Costumes by Hazel Fisher and Scott Fisher are wonderful! The pace is fast and these performers show they can take on any style. The revue skewers every relevant issue from the last 12 months – from Robo Debt to climate change – and cooks them up in fresh-flavoured juices courtesy of ingenious reconstructions of classic stage musicals. There’s a hilarious take on the musical Avenue Q, with Avenue Q&A, as several puppet guests invade the ABC’s flagship show. Independent senators explain their jobs through a side-splitting Play School episode.

Groucho Marx even gets a look-in with his classic ‘Lydia’, rebranded ‘Lidia’ for Lidia Thorpe’s part in encouraging ‘no’ voters in last year’s Voice referendum. The performers present their more serious feelings about that vote later in the show, which is sincere and pertinent. The good, the bad and the ugly of Australian politics are on display as Anthony Albanese (an astoundingly close portrayal by Jonathan Biggins) becomes Robin Hood.

I’m still crying with laughter at Amanda’s Sussan Ley dodging Shock Jock radio questions and David Whitney’s canny Peter Dutton. The comic strength builds as the skits get sharper toward the end of the 100-minute programme. These performers have top notch musical voices too, so rebranding Stephen Sondheim’s Follies as Pollies was a genius move. By the time Biggins and Forsythe portray Trump & Giuliani hiding out in the swamps, my sides were aching.