Review: The Platonic Human Centipede at the Loading Dock Theatre

Review by Alexa Hafner Keelan

Back for another round of this award-winning cabaret created and written by Samantha Andrews (from TikTok) and Mel O’Brien featuring nothing but humour, fun and imagination. This comic duo engages the audience with different skits that strike a nerve and are thought provoking. The content is endlessly engaging and relatable touching on many different themes that instantly hit home. 

The Platonic Human Centipede has won many awards including Best Cabaret at the Adelaide Fringe Festival in 2022, and more recently winning the Critics’ Choice Award at Perth Fringe in 2024. Their unique combination of diverse comedy and sensitive storytelling has made them a standout duo. This year, the duo is back headlining Pride Fest at the Loading Dock Theatre with their sharp wit and theatrical mayhem. It is exciting to see where they will end up next.  

The show explores the theme of closeness and inseparability between two people and features a variety of skits that included everything from Willi Wonka to Santa Claus. Each skit was filled with well written comedy and entertaining musical numbers that are playful and help elevate the experience. They were great at keeping the theatrical flair alive throughout the entire show. 

Some of the content includes roommate issues with strange cats, and board games that are impossible to follow. You can’t miss the nuns with ADHD or a brief encounter from Kristen Stewart, and a heartfelt visit from the Irwins. The show brings out the realities of human connection with a comedic twist, displayed through Mr and Mrs Claus’s couples therapy session sharing the differences in their love languages. 

One of the highlights was the Anthem for the Soft Girls that allowed the girls who love candles a chance to thrive. Bringing a voice to different types of femininity that prefer the quiet life of scented candles and nights in with a book and tea. There was a gay awakening for Charlie Bucket where Willi Wonka was nothing but supportive, and they provided a musical number with a twist on the Candy Man. This brought out the sweet and supportive nature of Wonka being an ally of Charlie.

This show is for those who enjoy musicals, comedy and pop culture that will keep you entertained until the very end. The girls bring a high energy to the show that reflects on the audience making it a fun show to see. It was cleverly written and consistently hilarious throughout the night with some stand out pieces including the one about the mid musical theatre boy. There was even a skit of the Irwins, where they were asking their dad whether Britney Spears is in heaven and if he is aware that 10 years olds use retinol. Light-hearted and engaging, really bringing the connection between deeper human truths and comedy into focus. 

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