Son of a Bitch

Entering The Butterfly Club at 5pm on a Wednesday feels like having your knock-offs directed by Tim Burton. Or, depending on how your week’s going, Kubrick. It’s a bizarre waiting room for the show we are about to see.

Son Of A Bitch (SOAB) is an outrageously honest celebration slash cry for help from a mama’s boy in denial.

Written and performed by Melbourne comedian Felix Castener along with actual mum Helen Breier, we are taken into the hilarious nooks and crannies of their relationship through sketch, monologue and (I think) actual fights. It’s Everybody Loves Raymond with nuance and heart.

To label Castener a versatile performer would be to vastly underestimate his talent, the many sides of which are showcased in SOAB. A comedian with a clear theatrical sensibility, he shapeshifts through various personas and tones, gliding through hysteria and sincerity in a beat. Mum is a truly infectious presence; she elicits big laughs and flaunts her familiarity with the audience. She commands the stage with confidence and humour not expected of someone who has spent a career in finance.

SOAB is ultimately charming for its rawness and honesty. Expertly crafted by Castener with a self-awareness and maturity that belies his age. The show wants you to see its strings and even displays them with pride. At times, it’s unclear what’s real and what’s in there for extra flavour.

The show ends and mother and son continue arguing as the room clears. It feels impolite to keep listening but I’m still laughing my ass off.

We give it ★★★★. 

Son of a Bitch
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Place, off Little Collins Street, Melbourne CBD
comedyfestival.com.au/2019/shows/son-of-a-bitch