3 Broke Gays | Le Roi | til Jan 30 | ★ ★ ★ ★
Three queer rising stars on the local comedy scene have joined forces for a stand-up showcase this Fringe World Festival.
Well actually they’re two broke bisexuals, one broke gay and their bisexual support act whose financial situation I’m not aware of, but I suppose that doesn’t fit on a poster. Nevertheless, this trio of talent deliver an hour of laughs and reminded me that WA is home to exceptional queer creators across the breadth of the arts.
Bounding onto the stage to a selection of campy pop hits, the core trio of Charlotte Glance, Jackson Canny and Cody Lam emerged from behind the curtain at the Belgian Beer Cafe’s Le Roi venue to introduce themselves to a receptive audience.
After some playful banter with the crowd, the threesome retreated to prepare for the main event, leaving support act Kate Sophia Willoughby to keep the crowd entertained; and entertain she did.
You can see why Willoughby has already racked up accolades on the local comedy scene, delivering a side-splitting set that shone with polish. Willoughby deftly plays with what could be grim stories about her coming out and the loss of her father, bringing a high-quality set that could be straight out of a Netflix special.
The titular trio had no problem keeping the momentum after the evening’s strong start. Next to the stage was Jackson Canny, who served more as the event’s MC rather than delivering one unbroken monologue.
Canny’s material felt more improvisational than the others, and while a couple of jokes missed the crowd, this young comedian radiated pure joy on that stage. His inability to not laugh at his own material was incredibly charming, and hilarious in its own right.
Next up was Charlotte Glance. Billed as “The Smart One”, Glance lived up to the archetype, tackling politics and more serious conversations in her delightfully wry style. Never delving into inaccessible territory, Glance brought the audience along for the ride from the jump with a killer opening joke that set the tone for her set; intelligent, inclusive and incendiary.
Coming up the rear is Cody Lam. A relative newcomer to comedy (telling the audience he started about a year ago), Lam leans into stereotypes without falling into well-trodden territory. Working the stage in a glamourous outfit and killer heels, Lam extended his search for a husband to the audience, and his endearing over-the-top energy seduced us all, overshadowing a few slip-ups on the mic.
Though they each brought something completely different to the stage, their various styles complemented each other, and their shared queer experience provided a through-line that made the event feel cohesive. What’s more, they had the skills required to tame a live audience, embracing missed jokes with good humour and keeping the laughs long and loud all through the hour.
After a sold out initial run, 3 Broke Gays have added two extra shows on January 29th and 30th. For tickets head to fringeworld.com.au
Leigh Andrew Hill is an editor at OUTinPerth, with a BA from the University of Western Australia in Media Studies & Art History. Since 2005, Leigh has studied and practiced journalism, film-making, script-writing, language, contemporary performance and visual arts. Leigh is also a freelancer writer, and producer and presenter on RTRFM 92.1.
Image: Sophie Minissale
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