The tongue in cheek way to celebrate the Easter holiday

By Leeor Adar

RockWiz live out of Hamer Hall on Good Friday is exactly the kind of Easter treat I’m looking for – I just wish it had the seedy intimacy of the Gershwin Room in St Kilda’s Esplanade Hotel.

With sell-out seasons in 2016 and 2017, Really Really Good Friday delivers many belly laughs and the antics of RockWiz veterans, Julia Zemiro and Brian Nankervis. It’s an excellent way to start the Easter weekend, with a series of Easter jokes and quiz answers; it’s certainly a tongue in cheek way to celebrate the holiday.

The show begins with a rock quiz for several selected audience members and the top two will sit alongside rock legends in the main leg of the quiz. Joining the talented list of performers on this occasion is Aussie rock legend, Joe Camilleri, The Jezabels’ Hayley Mary, newcomer Alex The Astronaut, Something for Kate’s Paul Dempsey, Gillian Cosgriff and comedian Bob Franklin. RockWiz’s The Orkestra, is accompanied by Vika and Linda Bull, whom serenade and provide musical clues to our panel of artists.

Any given night of RockWiz turns on the unique qualities the performers bring, and 2018’s Really Really Good Friday is no exception. Dempsey blows us away with his voice and music knowledge, Hayley Mary’s wry humour and astonishing vocals give us the much-needed edge of the evening, and Camilleri’s winding tales test Zemiro’s metal as she drives the show on. Standout comedy goes to Bob Franklin and his love of The Wurzels, and Gillian Cosgriff’s musical number on the social media #hashtag-craze. It’s a real cocktail of cool on this stage, and there’s really something for everyone.

I’ve certainly walked away from this 2018 show with a renewed love of certain artists, and others I’ll be keeping my eye on. Do yourself a favour and keep an eye out for some of the Really Really Good Friday comedians featured during the 2018 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, and take a listen to the rest.

I’m certainly keen to see what Really Really Good Friday brings out of the bag next year for another rock-fuelled night.

Really Really Good Friday ran 30 March. For more information see this Arts Centre page.