Sydney Reviews

The title may come from Jane Austen – or should that be Jane Austen-Powers – but The Wharf Review’ s latest poke fun full of pun parody potpourri, Pride in Prejudice, provides more political palpability in its pastiche of Rogers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific.

Or should that be Dodgers and Philistines, Nowt Specific!

There are truths universally acknowledged in this The Wharf Revue, now in its twenty-fourth year of existence, a wharfless waif made glorious summing in the house of York at the Seymour Centre. The show is written, as usual, by Jonathan Biggins, Drew Forsythe and Phillip Scott, who all appear and features Amanda Bishop and guest star David Whitney, with Musical Direction by Andrew Worboys.

These truths include scathing comments on the ABC’s Q&A, a real WTF exploration; a robust roasting of the Robo Debt fiasco, a Stu Roberts stew with a rich laughing stock; the criminality of Trump and Giuliani, a swamp soup saga of self-serving slime-balls; the thorn in the side of both sides, Lidia Thorpe; the crying shame climate crisis and an excoriating examination of our “mutually respectful” relationship with America in the South Pacific, featuring the naysayer yes slayer par excellence, Peter Dutton, a peerless impersonation by David Whitney.

In sketch and song, these merry minstrels satirise the politicians, politics and policies, poking a stick with schtick and mostly scoring bulls-eyes against the mounting bullshit. Impressive impersonations, lacerating lyrics, remastered melodies all make for a mindful entertainment.

Mocking with a probing intensity, Pride in Prejudice shows its moral commitment most seriously with a riff on the recent referendum, a cri de Coeur, an anthem of anathema. It is unapologetically sombre and sobering.

Mostly live, conjuring fun with costumes and wigs on a minimalist set, there are also some engaging video segments, one in particular doubtful to ever make it on QANTAS in flight programming.

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