OBSERVER: Casey Filips
Casey Filips is a character, in fact, many characters, who love a character especially those who are sitting in his audience.
He ferrets them out, feeds off their flaws which he forges into his comedic framework. Result: a unique and a brilliant platform from which to launch a truly great night of spontaneous, hysterical entertainment.
He starts with a jaded security guy employing his duties while reading from a clipboard list of attendees. He calls names at random then questions, searches and asks for ID.
Many of us don’t cut the mustard. He wields his power at his discretion by either sending us out the door or back-stage, until he decides we can return.
His sleek looking but bumbling secret agent character’s CCTV camera aid never seems to help him find an intended victim. His clumsy lack of control in pistol-shooting resulted in multiple audience ‘deaths’.
To keep us on the edge of our seats, his sound guy character appears aiming his stand microphone over the heads of the audience scanning for sources of new ‘meat‘ to progress the comic momentum.
His stand-out character is a lisping St Peter of the Pearly Gates who used material from audience members who, by now, were familiar to us all. Peter decides whether we go to Heaven or Hell. One brilliant moment came when he took the opportunity to advise one participant who appeared to want to steal the limelight when interviewed by the sound guy.
St Peter suggested that his behaviour on earth steered him towards Hell. His turnabout made wonderful use of material from his audience.
Casey is tall, good-looking and uses engaging facial expressions and clever adaptive style to deliver his characters. There’s potential for a tweaked sequel show with fresh characters.
Venue: Melbourne Trade Hall, Music Room.
Review by Sherryn Danaher