Melbourne Reviews

Left – Liz Skitch

Moulin Beige, comic and accordion player Liz Skitch’s monthly vaudeville show at the Wesley Ann in Northcote, is a delightfully entertaining taster of live comic performance, and a good way to find out what’s coming up in the Fringe or Comedy festivals. 

Taking place on the first Tuesday of every month, Moulin Beige offers a night of smallish spots by a selection of hand-picked performers. It’s a treat of a night, especially where the level of talent is concerned, and makes you yet again feel happy to be living in this town. Moulin Beige is a comedy night but the laughs come as part of differing styles of polished acts – on the night I went the special guest was Randy who’s always hilarious and he was the closest thing to straight stand-up there was. And he’s a puppet. Rama Nicholas did a turn from her Fringe show After Happy Ever After where she looks at what happens to characters from fairy tales after the traditional endings); Anya Anastasia who sings and accompanies herself on keyboards in the guise of Marie Antoinette, hers is a wry original kind of humour, quite different; we saw comic harpist Linda Beatty with some sophisticated one liners and a stunning operatic voice and the truly rooly funny Johnny Danger from Campbells Creek (where men are men, clearly). Elena Gabrielle concluded the night with a diva turn; she’s performing in Fringe in The Shuffle Show with Grant Busé.

‘Eclectic’ is an overused word but it’s the right one to describe Moulin Beige. The night hearkens back to the music halls of tradition and is terrifically good value; Liz Skitch is ‘smoothly kooky’ as the host and the performers are top notch. I reckon Moulin Rouge would make a perfect date night, and an ideal night out at one of the inner north’s most welcoming venues for anyone visiting Melbourne. You can’t fault it; Moulin Beige as it claims, is a show for everyone.


The Moulin Beige


Venue: The Wesley Anne | 250 High St, Northcote VIC
Date: First Tuesday each month
Tickets: $12.00 – $20.00
Bookings: 03 9482 1333
Visit: www.wesleyanne.com.au