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POSTED: 20 DECEMBER 2009

Godzone, by Guy Rundle & Max Gillies

(Melbourne Theatre Company | MTC Theatre, Melbourne | Until 17 Jan)

It’s classic Gillies. Yet another rung on his ladder towards entertainment posterity.

You may remember his boozy Bob Hawke and brow-rich John Howard. Well, this is very much in the same vein. It may be slower on the punch lines, but Godzone has significantly more bite.

Max Gillies is a man who runs with the times. His impersonations run the gamut and don’t just call into question the standpoints of the political elite. While Rudd, Gillard, Abbott and Joyce all get a ribbing, right-wing columnist Andrew Bolt and indigenous activist Noel Pearson also receive the Gillies touch.

For a one-man show, he has an extraordinary ability to move seamlessly from one character to the next. This shouldn’t be surprising for a man who’s made this kind of political satire his trademark for more than a quarter of a century.

Importantly though, with a two-hour stageshow, he gives these characters we think we know so well time to grow before us. Sure, there’s a hint of his TV days in the “ad break” style video that bridges each of his live acted personas, but in Godzone, we’re treated to the depth of material Gillies and writing partner Guy Rundle have up their sleeves.

If you’re looking to be rolling in the aisles from a comedic onslaught, you’ll be disappointed. It’s not that Godzone isn’t funny — it very much is, but the humour has something of the tidal wave about it. There are small lappings to hint at what’s coming but when it arrives, full and dangerous. The force is undeniable.

Gillies has a go at everyone. He turns on the left, the right, and even the audience, so we’re never entirely sure who he’ll pick on next. Without a doubt though, he saves his biggest kicks for the political right and its proponents: climate deniers, Barnaby Joyce, the pompous and verbose Christopher Hitchens.

Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard gets off somewhat lightly, although watching him walk on and off stage in character sees him channel a higher comedy god.

And then to the title.

Godzone is the play on our unfailing belief in the sanctity of the Australian way. The religiosity with which we uphold the values of our blessed isle of the “west” floating (rather unfortunately some believe) in a sea of the “east”. Australia is Godz-own.

And that’s where things get a little confusing. This is the ultimate thread that is supposed to link the various monologues together. At times though, the message is left by the wayside and perhaps rightly so, for there are some more interesting fish to fry. The theme is heavily stamped at intervals throughout the show but it’s not often clear how it should be interpreted and can leave you a little baffled.

The night I saw the show, it took Gillies and the audience a while to warm up to one another. Something you wouldn’t ordinarily expect from what seemed like his prime audience — only a handful were under 40. By the second half, though, Gillies was in his element and the pace picked up noticeably. I was truly tickled.

Followers of journalism, politics and modern culture will enjoy this huge effort by Gillies and Co.

Expect to be charmed by the intelligence and offended by the brazen swinging bias. Max Gillies himself would cringe at being called a national treasure just yet, but he’s well on the way with Godzone.

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