Aunty Donna have become Melbourne legends, gaining themselves a cult following and many TV appearances with their random-esque skits and live shows.
Aunty Donna are somehow a mix between The Mighty Boosh and the Backstreet Boys, choreographed moves entwined with a lot of fake blood, both equally impressive.
Their Melbourne International Comedy Festival show Big Boys is best described as hyper-organised chaos. This isn’t standup as you know it. Instead, it’s a series of rapid-fire skits tied together with the help of DJ Tom, stepping in every now and then as a mediator of sorts for the scripted chaos in front of him.
There are plenty of throwback and local references chucked in. Coyote Ugly just isn’t brought up enough in day to day conversation, and ‘NORTHLAND!’ should be used to punctuate every sentence.
The boys have also clearly made a great financial investment in each show, launching what must be about $20 of tampons into the audience at some point — if you’re running low in your bathroom cupboard, do your best to sit front and centre.
Big Boys is arranged beautifully, plotlines running zig-zag throughout ‘finishing’ only to pop up again when you least expect it. From misplaced hospo orders to dramatised arguments about certain members of the group not pulling their own creative weight, there’s no predicting the contents of this show.
Especially when a small-audience led revolution begins — DJ Tom Armstrong getting his own standing ovation midway through the show to the horror of Aunty Donna trying to regain control over the show. (Never underestimate a Wednesday night audience during Comedy season.)
Come for Aunty Donna’s Big Boys and all the laughs it holds, and stay for Tom’s mad DJ skills.
– Jasmin
Jasmin Ashton is a designer, marketer and freelance writer from Melbourne who has a lot of feelings about everything. Find them at @Jasmanna.
Big Boys runs until April 23rd at the Town Hall. Purchase tickets now.
The venue is accessible.
Read The Plus Ones’ guide to MICF 2017, and visit often to see all our reviews.
