‘Frank, the Mind-reading Hotdog’ is a wonderful cabaret act for ADULTS, presented by WA’s award-winning, famous comedian / magician, Matt Penny. These shows ran for a week at the Perth Fringe Festival, from 19th until 25th January. The venue was ‘The Stables’ in the middle of the Perth Cultural Centre, Northbridge. The advertised 50-minute World Premiere actually overran, as Matt added a few extras for good measure. Being an adult show the performances began at 10.00 pm, nothing visually controversial, just a bucket load of doublé entendres and bawdy jokes that were fresh and presented with pizazz. Despite the relatively late hour, ‘Frank’ performed to almost full houses.
The stage is in darkness, there is a fanfare and out stepped Frank, dressed as a hot dog with a generous helping of mayo running down his wiener. With his infectious grin, Matt starts his mind reading routine.
Magic Matt’s style is not one of smooth boring slickness; instead, he gives an apprehensive delivery that has the whole audience sitting on the edge of their seats, just hoping that this time he is going to stuff up. Incredibly, when you are convinced that he has tackled a mind-reading trick that is beyond his talent and that he cannot possibly workout, the answer is revealed to a gasping audience.
He can find your selected words from large volumes, create a Sudoku puzzle in seconds from your two chosen numbers, all very clever stuff, but it is the cordiality of the presentation and the hilarity that the audience warm to.
Matt’s new show is a real winner – or should that be wiener? (his joke!).
WARNING: Do not see the show on your honeymoon, unless you want him to broadcast all that you are thinking. He will know!