Carmen Jenner

Born and bred in Perth, Carmen Jenner considers herself extremely fortunate to write for a living. She has contributed to numerous local, national and international magazines, newspapers, blogs, books and organisations in the travel, lifestyle, hospitality, real estate and arts industries. She is the author/co-author/ghostwriter/editor of several books and runs the Fluffy Towel Travel blog (www.fluffytowel.com), for travellers who love their fluffy towels as much as their adventures.

Perth Comedy Festival:- Kieran Hodgson – Sounds American

Kieran Hodgson - Sounds American

Kieran Hodgson – Sounds American Rating

★★★★★

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Applauded for his culinary acting adventures as the “Sandwich Guy” in The Flash (2023), Kieran Hodgson is on a quest to make America great again. Failing that, he certainly made Perth great during his Saturday night show on 10th May 2025 for the Perth Comedy Festival.

With an undeniable talent extending well beyond stand-up, some of Kieran’s most provocative roles have cast him as the fallen prince in the TV show “Prince Andrew: The Musical,” which he also wrote. He’s also the creator of “Bad TV Impressions” on X (formerly Twitter), also available on YouTube.

After witnessing some of his impressions, including Hugh Grant, Bob Katter, Bill Clinton and John F. Kennedy, it soon becomes apparent that Kieran’s humour is as unhinged as he is unapologetically British.

Kieran Hodgson - Sounds American
Kieran Hodgson - Sounds American
Kieran Hodgson - Sounds American

Held in the upstairs Chorus Room of the Regal Theatre, “Kieran Hodgson – Sounds American” is fast paced and jam-packed with insightful humour as deranged as the state of America. Truly one of the most endearing performers, his delightful demeanour was tested by the couple who talked loudly throughout his act before abruptly leaving – Kieran handled it with all the grace of the Bridgertons and the royal family, impersonations he has also nailed.

It’s easy to see why Kieran is a four-time Edinburgh Comedy Award Nominee, most recently in 2023 for his “Big in Scotland” show. He’s playing at the Sydney Comedy Festival on 15th and 16th May before returning to the UK, where he’ll be touring throughout the year.

The Perth Comedy Festival runs from 21 Apr to 18 May. To book tickets to a show, please visit https://www.perthcomedyfestival.com/.

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Tracks After Twilight – Tales in the Shadows

Tracks After Twilight - Tales in the Shadows

Tracks After Twilight – Tales in the Shadows Rating

★★★★★

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“It’s too late to leave, the door is already locked.”

These chilling words set the tone for one of the most innovative and immersive theatre experiences you’ll ever experience this century, or the last century for that matter.

As rail mysteries of the yesteryear are revealed at The Railway Museum, there couldn’t be a better setting for “Tracks after Twilight – Tales in the Shadows.” As you’re guided among the historic carriages and locomotives, you’ll start to picture the harsh conditions railway workers once endured. You’ll also gain a sense of what rail travel was once like, especially when piled into a crammed carriage where the air is thick with the ghosts and eerie tales.

Any romantic notions of railway travel may be dispelled, or heightened, depending on your leanings. As you’re taken back to a time way before public transport was taken behind the safety of mobile phones and noise-cancelling headphones, you’re confronted with the quirks of your fellow passengers for a train ride unlike any other.

Tracks After Twilight - Tales in the Shadows
Tracks After Twilight - Tales in the Shadows
Tracks After Twilight - Tales in the Shadows
Tracks After Twilight - Tales in the Shadows

Held alongside the Midland train line at The Railway Museum, and run by Rail Heritage WA, the modern trains whizzing by further add to the atmosphere and juxtaposition of the past and present.

Without giving too much away, the allure lies in the creepy surprises. So be prepared for nocturnal moans, audience participation and partial nudity as you’re regaled with stories inspired by real events, with plenty of artistic licence thrown in for dramatic effect.

Speaking of, Elite Audio Visual Productions cleverly designed the chilling effects, shrouding the actors in mystery right up until the door is unlocked and you’re released from the shadows of the past and back into present-day reality.

Reviewed during the preview, there were a few technical issues still to be ironed out, and at times, the stories felt a bit disjointed as the narrative moved between the carriages. Nonetheless, the performance was entertaining, and anyone with a love of trains, history and drama will appreciate the immersive storytelling set among WA’s historic trains.

Keep the rail theme going by popping into a train carriage for a burger at Alfred’s Kitchen, two train stops away in Guildford.

This first showing of Tracks After Twilight is completely sold out, but pay attention to the Railway Heritage Museum for future show runs of this innovative theatre style. In the meantime, checkout their website for more information @ https://www.railheritagewa.org.au/.

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Perth Comedy Festival: Andrew Barnett

Andrew Barnett - Simple

Andrew Barnett – Simple Rating

★★★★★

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Keeping it simple, stupid is never as simple as it sounds. Especially if you’re Andrew Barnett (aka Barney), where life is anything but simple as the father of two teenage boys who don’t yet appreciate that the ultimate sign of coolness is being able to drive yourself to the shops to buy stuff with your own money.

Ah, yes, the woes of being middle-aged while surrounded by teenagers and TikTok is the comedic stuff that dreams are made of, and Barney nails it with his wry outlook that anyone over 30 will relate to. Warning: If you have the audacity to show up below the age of 30, it’s probably best that you don’t sit in the two front rows.

His ease of delivery makes it feel like you’re just chatting at the pub, where he’s doing most of the talking. Barney’s effortless style is down to an extensive career since 2010 as a stand-up comedian, writer and media personality, including TV, radio and podcast appearances.

Andrew Barnett - Simple
Andrew Barnett - Simple
Andrew Barnett - Simple

He currently co-hosts the Not Another F#ing Rugby League Podcast and is a familiar voice on SEN radio, aired in New South Wales and Queensland, when he’s not performing at high-profile sporting, comedy, music and fringe festivals around the country.

Reigning from Sydney to join the Perth Comedy Festival on 2nd and 3rd May, and performing upstairs of the Regal Theatre in the Regal Chorus Room is the perfect setting for Barney’s laid-back banter.

He returns to Sydney for the Sydney Comedy Festival on 8 & 9th May. Keep an eye out at various Perth venues, including The Rechabite and Comedy Lounge, for his quick-witted, relatable and endearing observational humour.

Performances: 2nd – 3rd May 2025, 7pm
Regal Theatre, Regal Chorus Room, 474 Hay Street, Subiaco
Tickets: $41.58

The Perth Comedy Festival runs from 21 Apr to 18 May. To book tickets to a show, please visit https://www.perthcomedyfestival.com/.

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Opening Night Review: After Dinner

After Dinner

After Dinner Rating

★★★★★

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It’s Friday night at the pub. The stage is set as five lost souls, and a distracted waiter, embark on a quest. On the surface, they appear to have different agendas, but underneath the bravado, they all share a desperate need to feel a little less lonely in After Dinner.

Set in the late 1980s, where the fashion and daggy pub restaurant are practically characters in their own right, big points go to the production team for nailing the brief. Under the direction of Tim Riessen, the cast does a magnificent job delivering the dialogue and mannerisms that are intentionally stilted to demonstrate the awkwardness of their relationships and scenario.

Dympie (Kezia George of Summer of the Seventeenth Doll and Hansel & Gretel), Paula (Lisa Divall of Short ‘n Sweet) and Monika (Amanda Alderson of Squid Games and Frankenbolt’s First Christmas) work in the same office, and had they not worked together, it is unlikely they would have socialised outside of work. The handsome Gordon (Altus Vernooy, making his stage debut from behind the scenes) and Stephen (Ian Fraser of Cracked and Done to Death) meet up at the pub through a mutual friend who never shows up. The waiter played by Tarek Jabado (Frankenbolt’s First Christmas and Under the Table) is a man of few words, but his looming presence (and often absence) is a steady shadow among the chaos.

 

With the ladies at one table and the men at the other, it doesn’t take long for them to notice each other, much to the dismay of the controlling Dympie, who just wanted a quiet Friday night with Paula.

Except this is no typical Friday night as Paula invites the grieving Monika, whose revelations into her marriage reveal a tirade of confronting and intimate truths. The exploration of adult themes and graphic nature of After Dinner suggests you might want to pick your theatre date carefully as some audience members may find the content uncomfortable.

Just as you need to break an egg to make omelette, the messy characters dissolve and then evolve, albeit subtly, as life often does before epiphanies set in.

Performed at the Roxy Lane Theatre just behind the Volare bar on Whately Crescent, this retro theatre is the perfect backdrop to the 1980s. Written in 1984 by Kalgoorlie-born playwright Andrew Bovell, who wrote Strictly Ballroom and Lantana, the fact that it’s still being performed decades later demonstrates the timeless theme of loneliness and the human condition. Poignant, funny and relatable, if the audience’s response to opening night is anything to go by, After Dinner will continue to leave a lasting impression for many more decades to come.

Performance dates: 7, 8, 9*, 14, 15, 16*, 20, 21, 22 & 23* March
Recommended MA 15+
Times: Evenings at 7.30pm, *Matinees at 2pm
Tickets: $23 adult, $19 concession, groups of 10+ $18 each

To book tickets to After Dinner, please visit TAZ Tix.

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