Fielding’s mind-altering comedy
COMEDY
An Evening with Noel Fielding
3.5 stars
Riverside Theatre
Review: Jacqui Bahr
Who needs hallucinogenic drugs when you have Noel Fielding?
Best known as affable punk Vince Noir in TV comic fantasy The Mighty Boosh, the English comedian's solo show was typically "out-there" in live mode on the first weekend of the Perth Comedy Festival.
The opening evening began in an unexpectedly conventional fashion. Introduced by the Boosh's beloved Moon, Fielding loped across the stage spouting accessible stand-up jokes about turning 40 and Australian spiders.
But it wasn't long until his acclaimed kookiness kicked in, beginning with a well-crafted tale about the time he dreamed he was a teabag.
And before we knew it, we were on a mystery cruise populated by a lewd triangle, plasticine rock stars, Antonio Banderas and some of Fielding's best-known TV characters from the 'Boosh and his even weirder Luxury Comedy series.
DIY set-pieces and costumes combined with animation and music as Fielding was joined by his brother Michael (aka Naboo/Smooth) and actor/comedian Tom Meeten.
The often spasmodic journey was smoothed over by Fielding's famous charm as he continued to acknowledge the silliness of it all.
"I'm 41," he stopped to remind us (and perhaps himself) at various times throughout the show.
The tales of high fantasy saw Sgt Raymond Boombox arrive to solve a kidnapping case. Fielding's improvised interactions with audience members during this segment were perhaps the funniest part of the show.
After intermission the trio dove way off into the deep-end. The ensuing act starring Luxury Comedy's Fantasy Man headed into hyper-surreal territory. One cannot help but think the show would have been stronger if it finished at intermission.
But the adoring audience (many of whom were dressed as Fielding's characters) were with him all the way, wholeheartedly devouring the acid-washed brand of postmodern weirdness they came there for.
