Review: Rob Johnson And Harry Milas Bring Their Brilliant And Bizarre Brand Of Comedy To The Old Fitz With THE RECIDIVISTS

Friday 24th January 2020, 7:30pm, Old Fitz Theatre

Part cabaret, part vaudevillesque variety sketch, and all intriguing and amusing, THE RECIDIVISTS is a dark and twisty journey into the depths of the human mind and ambition and the repeated behaviours that return even after attempts at rehabilitation. Created and performed by Rob Johnson and Harry Milas, who combine as Mantaur, this work finds humor in the strangest of places.

With the support of a four piece band of Allister Haire (Musical Director), Alex Lee, Olga Solar and Laurence Rosier Staines, the bare footed duo take the audience on a rollercoaster of characters and stories, some of which have through threads, that represent some of the bizarre obsessions that the somewhat mad and sinister Doctor Jung (Milas) rattles off during a therapy session with meek Paddy (Johnson). The black walled space is graffitied with white marker messages, symbols, and sayings that will make sense at the end of the story and the only set pieces are a velvet armchair, a cupboard and garbage can, leaving a predominantly bare space for the mayhem to unfold.

Both members of Mantaur have a brilliant comedy sensibility and they don't take themselves or the story too seriously to the point that at times they break character to laugh at the absurdity of what the other is doing making the work all that more delightful. There is a clever wordplay along with dorky dad jokes that you can't help but laugh at when delivered with such perfect timing. There is some fabulous comic 'shelving' of ideas that are revisited to the point that the audience is laughing even before the gag has been set and the moment of silent imagination is probably the bravest bit of comedy genius seen. The physicality of the work as they dance, lurk and lounge is laugh out loud amusing in its bizarreness. The music ranges from jazz to mysterious and more and includes vocals from Johnson and Milas, some of which is amplified through a distorted microphone heightening the mystery of the works.

Johnson's skill for character voices and his chameleon acting skills are put to work as a parade of weird and wonderful characters that change in quick succession. Milas' talent as a magician and mentalist is woven into the story with some incredible stunts that will have you scratching your head trying to figure out how he does it.

To say much more would give too much away but most importantly, if you want something that will have you laughing, thinking and finding amusement in the dark recesses of the human mind, get along to see THE RECIDIVISTS.

https://www.redlineproductions.com.au/the-recidivists-1

Two extra shows have been added for Tuesday 28th and Wednesday 29th January.