“Oh, you’re very glamorous, I think you shall live”, whispered the tall and lanky figure of Elf Lyons to my friend as we walked in the venue to take our seats – catching us off guard and getting us onside from the absolute get-go.
'Raven', and its performer Elf Lyons, are like nothing else you will see at Comedy Festival this year – or anywhere else for that matter.
Delightfully creepy isn’t normally how you would see a comedy show described, but here it feels appropriate. In this fast-paced and jam-packed hour of clowning, Elf explains that she will be telling five scary stories in the style of a Stephen King novel. At first, I wondered how she might fit it all in, allowing time for the inevitable uncontrollable giggles of the crowd, but Elf is a master of her art and delivered an incredibly tight performance in every way possible.
There are probably two very important things that anyone attending this show should know. The first is that you are and will feel absolutely safe. The clowning genre can be a little confronting, and I know I have seen my fair share of shows that have made my heartbeat race and triggered my fight or flight response as I sit in the darkness among the audience. However, despite her creepy concept, Elf created a beautiful and special feeling of safety and comfort in the crowd which is a real and very important talent for this kind of show.
The second thing that you must know, is that you may want to avoid sitting in the front row – or the first three rows for that matter. I shan’t say why, but the fact that a splash guard is needed at some point might be indication enough. Perhaps you’re the brave type and that kind of experience is for you. In that case, be Elf’s guest.
For full disclosure, the moment I saw that Elf Lyons was doing a show at Comedy Festival, I knew that I would absolutely be heading along. I first saw her perform years ago at Adelaide Fringe Festival in maybe 2015 – and hadn’t had the chance to see her again. The previous show had firmly planted itself in my mind as one of the best I had seen that year, so I knew that her new offering would not disappoint.
Elf exhibits phenomenal physicality, the control that she has over her entire body is captivating. To watch her move across the stage is a delight, and to hear her deliver her stories in accents and voices is totally joyful. This show, while silly, is also so much more. Elf is a clever and sharp writer and has put together a show that is well-paced with peaks and troughs, and never leaves very much time without a moment for immense comedic relief.
I had been urged, by many friends who had seen this show over in Adelaide, not to give it a miss. So now in turn, I will urge every single person in Melbourne to also comply to that order. Do not miss this show! I know I’ll be thinking about it for weeks to come, and I’d rather not be alone in that experience!
