Peter Rowsthorn – Keen

Peter Rowsthorn - Keen

Peter Rowsthorn – Keen Rating

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If you’re like most Australians and Kath & Kim has been part of your regular viewing over the years, then Peter Rowsthorn is undoubtedly a household name. He’s the kind of person you instantly want to be friends with. Warm, familiar, and effortlessly charming, even if you’ve never met him.

From the moment he stepped on stage at the beautifully refurbished Rechabite Hall (updated in 2019), Peter put the audience completely at ease. Endearing, relatable, and unpretentious, he’s as lovable and bubbly as you’d expect. The way he casually throws around the f-bomb just adds to that feeling that he’s your best mate from way back.

This was the first time Peter had performed as part of The Perth Comedy Festival since the ’80s, and it was an absolute treat. I wasn’t surprised to hear he was one of the few acts at the Perth Comedy Festival open to being reviewed. A reflection of his humility and openness to feedback.

He kicked things off with a relaxed ‘chat’ to the first few rows (yes, I was in the splash zone), which was a great way to break the ice and set the tone. These casual interactions cleverly led into off-the-cuff stories, ranging from accidentally running over his dog to his father choosing euthanasia. That he can make an audience laugh through such heavy material is a true mark of a comedy master.

Peter’s physical comedy was a real standout. It’s not a technique all stand-ups use, but he executed it with a flair that had the audience in stitches. His dance routines were hilarious throwbacks to his iconic Kath & Kim character, Brett, and his behind-the-scenes stories about working with stars like Kylie Minogue and Shane Warne were crowd-pleasers. I loved the insider scoop!

If there was one area that could use refinement, it would be the structure of the show. At times, the transitions felt a bit loose, and a comedic director might have helped shape the flow for a more cohesive experience. While the energy and content were strong, a bit more structure would have made the journey feel more grounded for both Peter and the audience.

That said, Peter is so incredibly likeable and naturally funny that, honestly, he could have done anything and the crowd would have loved it. He had Perth eating out of the palm of his hand, and I have no doubt any future shows would sell out in a flash.

I’d tell you to run and grab a ticket, but sadly, it was a one-night-only event!

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Perth Comedy Festival: Rohan Arneil – The Never-Ending Smoko

Rohan Arneil - The Never-Ending Smoko

Rohan Arneil – The Never-Ending Smoko Rating

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Sydney based comedian Rohan Arneil was in town for the Perth Comedy Festival performing upstairs at the Chorus Room of the Regal Theatre.

With the entrance to the Chorus Room tucked to the side around the main entrance of the Regal Theatre, we made our way up the winding stairs. We knew we made it to the little theatre because the sign displayed said “You’ve Made It”.

It is an intimate space with a small stage fitted with red velvet curtains. With festive moonlights strung up above the audience, Rohan hilariously noted that if there’s any lighting, it should be directed at him, not the audience.

Rohan is a relaxed stand-up comedian taking sips of wine and flavoured water throughout his show with plenty to say about anything and everything. At the start he touched quite a lot on money which he even acknowledged he would be talking about for a fair amount of time. I found it quite refreshing for a person to be talking about a topic which can seem a bit taboo in society or impolite to talk about.

He also got the crowd laughing with his work as a stonemason and how with technology rapidly evolving the profession doesn’t seem so lucrative as it once was 5 thousand years ago, and acting as a mentor to young guys at Tafe which he refers to his Good-Will Hunting moments.

Rohan is a talented comedian. He’s able to move seamlessly from one top to another without losing the attention of the audience.

He knows how to work the crowd, which for most part of the show it was as if you were at a friend’s house having a few drinks and this friend is re-telling funny stories of his life.

Reverting back to money, he wrapped-up his performance by taking a call from his Uber driver telling the audience he had to rush to another gig to get his $400.

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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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.

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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I Watched Someone Die On TikTok

I Watched Someone Die on Tik Tok

I Watched Someone Die on TikTok Rating

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With the show’s title, ‘I Watched Someone Die on TikTok,’ I had no idea what to expect from this show. All I knew was that it would be a one-person show. Sometimes these can be the best sorts of shows without any preconceived ideas.

As part of the Perth Fringe Festival, WAAPA alumnus Charlotte Otton delivers a quirky, commentary-style and partial biographical performance involving her relationship with the internet and social media.

Although the performance is delivered in a humorous manner, it touches on serious topical issues such as social media addiction, minors on social media, cyber-bullying and the multitude of disturbing content found on the internet.

Charlotte takes the audience on a journey from the early stages of the internet in the early 90s to the colossal digital platform it now is.

She makes a point of how the internet is filled with so much dark content and how easily accessible this content is to any person of any age. This content she refers to includes people dying in hospitals, beheadings and people being beaten to death. In the early internet days, it may have been a bit tricky, but certainly not impossible, to access such content, but nowadays, videos, regardless of whether they are age-appropriate or not, so easily pop up in social media feeds.

The strong grip social media has on people’s lives is real, and Charlotte brings this to focus. In one segment, the absurdity of some of the TikTok challenges is brought to life as she playfully takes up the challenge that the audience selects for her.

Any person who is guilty of doom-scrolling will relate to Charlotte’s commentary.

I found this show immensely entertaining and Charlotte to be an outstanding solo performer. I never knew which way the show would go or what Charlotte would do next. Mirroring much of how Tik Tok operates, she performs multiple segments in the show at a fast pace—keeping the attention of the audience glued to the stage.

To book tickets to I Watched Someone Die on TikTok, please visit https://fringeworld.com.au/whats_on/i-watched-someone-die-on-tiktok-fw2025

This year’s Fringeworld Festival Perth runs from 17 January to 16 February. For more information, please visit https://fringeworld.com.au.

Photographer: Sophie Minissale

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