★★★★½ Outlasting governments, the Wharfies’ poison pen is still sharp, prolific and relevant.

Her Majesty’s Theatre
June 15, 2016

Celebrating their fifteenth anniversary, the creators of The Wharf Revue revelled in reminding us that during their tenure, they have outlasted the Howard, Rudd, Gillard, Rudd, Abbott and Turnbull (perhaps) governments.

The Wharf line-up has varied over the decade and a half, but stalwarts Phil Scott, Jonathan Biggins, Drew Morphett in company with Julia Gillard specialist Amanda Bishop showed the almost capacity audience that their poison pen is still sharp, prolific and relevant. While the core targets of the show are still politicians, the most inspired sketches had a world view. Greece [sic] the Musical, “It’s the money we want, Oo Oo Oo” was a side splitter as was the Helen Clark Four singing in the broadest of Kiwi accents and a rather apathetic docile French Revolutionary rabble (dare I say a metaphor for the Australian electorate) disinterested in taking up arms against the monarchy.

The political satire and impersonations were mostly incisive, but not all the sketches succeeded. As you would expect, the funniest material emanated from Canberra’s fresh meat. Top prize goes to Bishop for nailing Jacqui Lambie and I hope she gets re-elected just so that we can see more. Biggins also did  Tony Abbott to a tee, complete with the John Wayne walk. Morphett’s narcissistic Malcolm Turnbull of Les Liberables didn’t hit the mark, but he was masterful as a pompous Geoffrey Robertson and I loved his rapping MC Chrissy Pyne, the Fixer. Scott’s bitchy take on Senator George Brandis ruling the Arts in his tutu was also a winner.

Perhaps time has wearied us to the old faithfuls. Bob Hawke and Paul Keating in a nursing home trying to build consensus for reform was inspired as was Kevin Rudd as the Phantom of the Opera stalking a hapless Julia Gillard. Sadly, perhaps like 2007, John Howard, Peter Costello and Alexander Downer wore out their welcome. However, the quartet saved their best for last, a Goon Show episode where the loveable favourites, Bluebottle, Eccles, Min and Seagoon, go on a quest to find the endangered ABC Charter.

As long as they keep things contemporary and avoid too much recycling, the Wharfies will live on.