From Alice Springs, Danny Sgro resides in the heart of the country, both literally and symbolically. He’s in touch with Australia’s Indigenous pulse and its tumultuous affairs. He’s come face to face with the youth crime, substance abuse and disharmony that continues to riddle the Northern Territory city.
There are no two ways about it, Sgro’s fearful of his own town and this forms the backbone of a set which lacked conviction.
A regular visitor to a local pub plagued of peculiar occurrences, a lady collapses backwards from her chair into a bush behind him. Whether it was the spontaneity of the occasion or Sgro’s impulse directing him astray, Sgro responds by playing a Ricky Martin song on his kazoo. Not the conventional reaction to another’s plight but Sgro had to capitalise on any practice opportunity before this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
The kazoo would be his big ticket for 2018 show Cultural Sgropropriation yet while it wasn’t difficult to see the irony in the instrument of choice, Sgro’s use of it immobilised his momentum, infusing an awkwardness into the crowd.
Whether it was nerves or a lack of confidence in his show, Sgro didn’t hit the mark on all his jokes which left many crowd-members struggling to get into the performance.
Fellow loved Alice Springs comedian Chris Little followed Sgro to the stage for a far longer set, which unfortunately didn’t reach impressive heights.
Comparing the purchase of Bitcoin to downloading torrents and divulging a turbulent story about getting stoned on a toxic dose of synthetic cannabinoids, the set showed promise but lacked the finishing punch to each comedic foray.
Making a bold decision to drive home in the midst of his wild high, Little decides to accommodate his munchies at McDonald’s. The cannabinoids had twisted his mind into such a state that despite his brain telling him that all processes were normal, misinterpretations were flying in left, right and centre.
The clashing of fated mishaps make for a hilarious story, nevertheless, the lack of fluidity in his storytelling suppressed its comedic potential.
Sgro and Little performed two separate sets showing potential but lacking delivery and polish. I can’t help but think they’ll be better for the run and will return in 2019 better prepared.
By Tom Parker
