Adelaide Fringe Festival: Chopper’s F*ckin Bingo Starring Heath Franklin
The plush red and gold drapes of the old Royalty Theatre in the heart of the city seem an incongruous backdrop to the ancient, time-honoured tradition of bingo, especially given this particular show’s extravagant props – a keyboard, a couple of red buckets and a bong (make that a petrol can). Oh, and a pinyata (of course).
In the words of the gig’s eponymous star, when this show turns around you can see the f*cking nuts on it. Not for those with sensitive ears, nor, probably (although not on this occasion) for those under 18, and definitely not for those who object to frequent and colourful use of expletives, (tonight’s audience were noisily appreciative).
Sold out at last year’s Adelaide Fringe Festival and with extra shows added to the 2009 season, Chopper (aka Heath Franklin) handles his occasionally rowdy audience with aplomb, turning the tables on would-be hecklers and spouting profanities that would make Henry Miller’s toes curl. Somewhat wasted but no less ballsy, Chopper’s junkie ‘niece’ Jenny (the redoubtable Felicity Ward) invades the audience to locate, with not much trouble at all, various ‘deadshits’ and grill them in between a few blistering bouts of unorthodox bingo and some golden moments of audience participation/coercion.
Pianist and funny man Sammy J provides musical accompaniment, immoral support and identifies various troublemakers in the audience to be subjected to ‘Chopper’s’ tirade of mostly good-humoured abuse. Suffice to say, if you have season tickets to the Russian ballet, you may not appreciate the subtlety of ‘Chopper’s approach. However as he points out, there is much educational value in the show. Who knew that six miles of c*ck laid end to end forms the basis of Paris Hilton’s most important meal of the day? Or that there are 42 inches to a mile? Yes folks that’s what I’m talking about. This isn’t champagne theatre, and it’s refreshingly bereft of pretension.
There are some low moments and you might not be chuckling the whole way through, especially if you don’t find amusement in the seamier side of the seamy side of life.
Chopper’s F*ckin’ Bingo doesn’t pull any punches, so if you’re easily offended look elsewhere. If on the other hand, you enjoy a bit of gutter humour and like watching people making complete fools of themselves on stage and off, then roll up, you’re onto a winner. What is it about undies on the outside that so fascinates humanity? Possibly the hilarity of seeing grown men compete to switch said garments in the hope of winning, say, an autographed toilet seat or condom-encased lollipop?
Watching audience members squirm in the spotlight is always a treat, and pelting them with plastic balls is even more fun, more so when they’re choking on an Aussie icon (no, I’m not talking about Chopper). Did we enjoy the show? Well I can’t say it’s precisely my cup of tea, but in between the lulls we had some good laughs, so over all, f*ck’n oath!
ADELAIDE FRINGE FESTIVAL: Chopper’s F*ckin Bingo Starring Heath Franklin with Heath Franklin, Felicity Ward and Sammy J. The season runs over various nights until the end of the Adelaide Fringe Festival at both the Garden of Unearthly Delights, Spiegeltent. All tickets cost $30.
