By Matthew Pritchard
"Dazza and Keif go viral" is a bombastic dance comedy following the trials and tribulations of two 'semi-brofessional' breakdancers as they shoot for YouTube stardom and all the hot chicks that come with it. And if that's not enough to sell this fun little slice of sketch comedy to you, well I don't know what else I can say to convince you.
Dazza and Keif, characters created and portrayed by Danni Ray and Keely Windred, feel like characters you might have seen in old-school Aussie sketch comedies like 'Fast Forward', "D-Generation' or even 'The Wedge'. Dazza is loud, brash and hilariously overconfident, while Keif is a bit quieter, until Dazza gets him hyped up. Both are broad caricatures of the "Aussie Bloke" and because of that they feel EXACTLY like someone you know or have met on a Sydney train after a messy night out. They're vulgar, self-obsessed, extremely insecure, weirdly obsessed with Shannon Noll, and an absolute library of dick jokes.
But it's not just dick jokes and physical comedy. I mean... there's a lot of that, but it all serves as a vehicle for an exploration of toxic masculinity, gender, feminist and queer theory. Don't get me wrong, they're nicely crafted dick jokes, and Ray and Windred are both very gifted physical comedians, hurling themselves from dance numbers, to gee ups, to pranks at a breakneck pace, in choreography that's been crisply co-ordinated to look hilariously unco.
The dumb-smart humour is the perfect way to get the point across. Dazza and Keif are caricatures, sure, but as the show goes on and the more you learn about them as people, the more you start to see the cracks in the act and catch glimpses of two young men desperately trying to conform to a narrative that, on some level, they're not even really sure is for them. It's only a short show, and it's hard to describe the events that unfold without spoiling the fun, so you'll just have to go and see it.
And you should go and see it, especially if sketch comedy is your jam. But honestly, even if it's not, you might find yourself getting sucked into the energy and having a great time. It's a lot of fun, and the added depth to Ray and Windred's characters make it even more enjoyable. There's a lot of heavy discourse behind the sparkly b-boy tracksuits and speed-dealer sunnies, and a vibrant drag comedy act that takes the performance of the mythical 'bloke' and ramps it up to its most logical extreme is a fantastic medium to explore that discourse.
So whether you're a b-boy, a hot chick or just in the mood for some home grown sketch comedy, go spend a little time with Dazza and Keif. For a gold coin donation they might even sign your boobs.
All opinions and thoughts expressed within reviews on Theatre Travels are those of the writer and not of the company at large.