The year is 1925. The world is born anew in the aftermath of the Great War, the "Jazz Age" is in full swing, and the Burton Brothers have come to the Fringe to do a silly sketch comedy show. Button up your glad rags and feast your peepers on this petting pantry! It's the only sketch comedy show set entirely in the year 1925.
The Burton Brothers return with their fourth original sketch comedy show - now in Technicolor. With big band jazz numbers, golden age Hollywood tropes and the stopgap between World Wars - it's a decade rich in material ready to be parodied and portrayed in the modern medium of sketch comedy.
1925 is an absurdist sketch comedy show that explores many of the now classic facets of the decade. Things like the prohibition, military pomp, song and dance men and the golden age of Hollywood. These may all sound like old fashioned ideas but The Burton Brothers draw clear parallels between today and one hundred years ago.
Using the lens of history the Brothers show that perhaps we’ve not progressed as much as we might think...
The Burton Brothers are Melbourne-based real-life siblings Josh Burton (Signor Baffo, Dizney in Drag, Impromptunes) and Tom Burton (Talkie Time with Jackie Lime). Both are currently ensemble cast members at The Improv Conspiracy Theatre in Melbourne where they regularly teach, write and perform sketch, improv and musical comedy.
The Burton Brothers, 16:20, 30 Jul - 24 Aug (60 min) Assembly George Square, The Crate. Buy tickets here.
Josh Burton also performs in interactive children’s kitchen comedy show Signor Baffo, performing 11:05 31 Jul - 17 Aug at Assembly Rooms, Bijou.
What is the last thing you do before you go onstage (apart from check your flies and/or check your knickers aren't sticking out of your skirt and check for spinach between your teeth)
We like to play a very brother coded game called Kidney Slaps. We take it in turns slapping each other in and around the kidney based area until one of us gets hurt. It's a great way to wake up and potentially wind each other before the show starts.
What irritates you?
Apart from each other? We are both irritated by people who get on public transport before other people have gotten off. Get real. Grow up. Get a life.
What is the most dangerous thing you have ever done?
Pursued a career in sketch comedy.
What is the most stupid thing you have ever done?
I once tried to do a backflip by jumping off a see-saw. I broke my arm and didn't come even close to doing a backflip. A few years later I broke the same arm again by running directly into a brick wall. The lesson I learnt was to stop doing any and all physical activities. It's just not worth it!
What has surprised you the most during your career in comedy?
How many people in the world know absolutely nothing about sketch comedy or improv comedy. If it's not stand up, most people have never heard of it. Trying to explain to someone what sketch comedy is is like trying to explain pork to a pig.
What do your parents think of your job?
We are very lucky that our parents are incredibly supportive of our ridiculous career choice. Our parents have worked in theatre and the creative arts their whole lives and while they are used to a more high brow affair, they still support the heck out of our low brow, comedic offerings.
What’s the worst thing about being a comedian?
Having the reputation that inherently comes with being a male comedian. Thanks a lot men in comedy for making us all look bad! I'm looking at you Louis…
I think you are very good at what you do (that’s why I’m asking these questions). What do you think of you?
We are very proud of our sketch shows and the fact they've managed to find and connect to an audience. We write comedy for us, only ever doing and saying things that we love and find funny. So to have that be acknowledged and enjoyed by strangers is a very gratifying feeling.
How much do you earn and how much would you like to earn?
I'm writing my answer to this question while I sit in my cubicle at my part-time job where I work in a mailroom for a bank… I think that should answer both questions. In short, not enough and more. Always more!
How important is luck in terms of career success – have you had lucky breaks?
Certainly, we have been very lucky throughout our careers. Just this year we were the lucky recipients of a grant to help produce our newest show. Part of the grant was a creative partnership with a more famous comedian and we got paired up with one of our comedic heroes.
We got to write, rehearse and develop a brand new sketch show with Australian comedy royalty, Frank Woodley. We've both grown up obsessed with Frank so getting to work with him so closely was a real dream come true.
Alan Davies has said that comedians fall into two categories - golfers and self-harmers. The former just get on with life, the latter are tortured artists. Which are you – or do you think you fit into third category?
We are golfers, through and through. Except we replace golf with video games. Tortured artists certainly have their place but with the back catalogue of games that we have to play, we don't have the time for that!
Who is your favourite person ever and why – not including family or friends or other comedians?
Jackie Chan! I mean who doesn't love the Chan man. Great movies, great action and he is funny as hell. If you want to have a fun night then go home and watch Rumble in the Bronx, you can thank us later.
Do you keep your drawers tidy and if not why not? (please think long and hard about this question, it's to settle an argument with my girlfriend. The future of our relationship could depend on your response).
We both keep surprisingly tidy drawers. If you met us you wouldn't think that we would be tidy drawers guys but we are nothing if not unexpected. Sorry to disappoint as I can only imagine your drawers are filthy and your girlfriend can frankly do better.
The Burton Brothers, 16:20, 30 Jul - 24 Aug (60 min) Assembly George Square, The Crate. Buy tickets here.
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