Looking for a Fringe show the whole family can enjoy? Then PG Hits! is for you. If your kids are past the age where it’s all about the bubbles (FINALLY, mine are!) but they’re still too young for adult shows, this family-friendly stand-up comedy show is the perfect in-betweener.
Like many variety, or ‘best of’ shows at the Fringe, PG Hits! features a changing line-up of guest comedians, held together by host, Ollie Ham. Hailing from the UK, Ham says it’s hard sounding British in Australia as most Aussies think he’s smarter than he is. On the other hand, we Aussies apparently have the opposite problem. Boom-tish!
Having set the tone for the afternoon, Ham promised four comedians who would entertain children and adults alike, with all the rude bits and swearing removed. This form of ‘real’ comedy for families has gained popularity in recent years and it’s easy to see why. Sunday’s show went down well overall, with only a few questionable moments. As it is their job to shock and entertain, Ham prepared youngsters for possible slips ups and the occasional blue word by advising things would devolve no lower than the rudest word already known by the under-agers. He then proceeded to grill a small child in the front row about the rudest word she knew. While said small girl’s mother looked like she might pass out from embarrassment, it appeared ‘bum’ was the acceptable standard.
This was a good thing because, during his set, comedian Paul Savage told tales of translation muck-ups that saw him telling his date not that he was 33 years old, but that he had 33 bums. From the raucous laughter of the audience, it’s officially confirmed that bum jokes still rule. In addition to sterling bottom-related laughs, Savage regaled his adventures as nanny to his sister’s kids during Covid lockdown. This was because, as a nurse, she was an essential worker, while the UK government made his job as a comedian illegal. Some of Savage’s stories were a little on the risky side for real young ones – I kept waiting for someone to cry during the Paw Patrol jokes that focused on which magical puppy he’d shoot first. Luckily, there were no tears, but it was a reminder that this is a “PG” show, not strictly a “kids show”, so choose wisely if your kids are a bit young or sensitive. The Paw Patrol joke did, however, land exceedingly well with parents.
Erin McKinnie also pushed some boundaries with a story involving a friend’s one night stand. No details were given and the joke focused on certain bad behaviour following the hook-up, but again, parents, ensure you’re ready for the possibility of stuff like this. McKinnie delivered a clean version of her adult jokes about the perils of working on a cruise ship where the average age is 80-125, and the bad mannered woman who allowed her dog to poop outside McKinnie’s bedroom window. Perhaps detecting a theme, the poo joke was a winner!
Also delivering the funnies was Danny Ward with his catchy phrase: ‘You won’t’ be bored, it’s Danny Ward!’ He demonstrated some odd online purchases including an extendable fork, while several generational jokes about milkmen and paternity went way over the kid’s heads. While the parents giggled, some of Ward’s punchlines were more like plop lines for the kids, demonstrating that only removing rude bits and swearing isn’t quite enough to make comedy accessible for a younger audience.
As the token American, Robyn Perkins apologized for being annoying and then proved she wasn’t annoying at all. This former scientist turned comedian did a great live survey on whether audience members were ‘cat people’, ‘dog people’, or ‘kid people’. The deafening silence in response to the ‘kid people’ question was absolute gold. She also sang the virtues of science but, in a phrase that the kids repeated to me all afternoon, she recognized we all “sit somewhere on a spectrum from “yay science” through to “unvaccinated”’. A smart, funny lady with three other adult comedy shows at the Fringe, I recommend looking her up.
While the line-up will change throughout the show’s run making it difficult to predict for any given day, it was fabulously done on Sunday. And much credit to Ollie Ham who established rapport quickly and had lots of fun teasing the kids who heckled him back openly and with the degree of honesty one only gets from a young child. Recommended for families who want a great day out at the Fringe and especially for parents who’ve done their time with giant bubbles!