Uni Revue || review

Writing this article is something I have been looking forward to for quite awhile. The Uni Revue is an annual comedic piece of theatre so deeply ingrained into Tasmanians that it has become an icon for the state. Uni Revue is run by the Old Nick Company and this year was its 70th year. Nothing is off limits for these people and they get away with crossing lines that most other shows could not. A mixture of song, dance, jokes, bawdy humour, swearing and nudity, the show promises a night full of side splitting laughter (and some shocked gasps) for any audience member that is willing to be open minded. This year was no exception.

The performance this year was a play on Donald Trump and his campaign to make America great again. This turned into 'Make Tasmania Great Again'. It was also a send-up of the issues in Tasmania that the government and such have ignored or blunders they have done. Promotional flyers depicted a green Donald Trump Face in the shape of Tasmania. It was bound to be an interesting night.

Rhys Prestedge, a performer in the Uni Revue said, "Uni Revue is such a phenomenal Tassie theatre tradition. It's the biggest show at the theatre every year. Being part of [Uni] Revue is such a unique and incredible experience."

Walking in to the Theatre Royal, there was an excited chatter and buzz hanging in the air. Groups of all ages (though most over the age of 18 at least) grabbed their beverages and took their seats within the theatre. The American colours (red, white and blue) were on stage and were also the lighting colours while waiting for the performance to start. During the performance not many props were actually used, with the show relying on the talent of the performers to convey the humour and meaning behind the jokes.

From the stalls to the dress circle, seats were sold out with people crammed in to see a crowd favourite. The projector screen was down with Instagram photos using the hashtags 'unirevue' and 'takeadumpwithtrump' featuring on it. It added a personal touch to the show, including the audience within the fun. The screen was also used throughout the performance for small skits and aids in music and performance.

As the lights dimmed the voice over came on with a joke about the recent debacle from the United Airlines. A fake seat number was called out, with the voiceover asking the occupant to remove themselves. When a performers voice said that they refused they were 'dragged away' getting the crowd into the  humour that the rest of the night would entail.

Throughout the night many of the performers appeared as Australian politicians much to the amusement of the audience (most of which were in stitches the whole night). Some favourite portrayals of mine were Pauline Hanson, Jacqui Lambie and Will Hodgman as well as Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. The costumes (when the performers decided to wear them) were fun and suited each of the characters portrayed. The nudity wasn't overbearing when it was included.

Stand out parts of the performance for me were the parody of The Lion King's Be Prepared song. It was extremely well done, as were the acts by 'Barry' who made one lady in the audience crack up so much that she set us all off laughing again. Other crowd pleasers were the jokes about Halal, fake news, the wall around Burnie and the chess game featuring Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

Mr Prestedge said, "If anyone's ever considering auditioning for Revue, seriously, go for it. It's the most fun you can have on stage - and you'll be entertaining thousands upon thousands of laughing Tassie folks."

Though the shows last performance in Hobart is on Saturday, it will be showing in Launceston from the 31st May to 3rd June for all those up North.