Stark raving genius New York Times
The world’s most feared, loathed and adored Australian musical comedy mavericks, Doug Anthony All Stars (DAAS), return to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe nearly thirty years after first taking it by storm in 1987 and receiving a Perrier Comedy Award nomination in 1988. Pub Landlord AL MURRAY, a fan since discovering the group in ’88, is set to present Rebirth Reunion which will see original stars PAUL MCDERMOTT and TIM FERGUSON teamed up with mentor PAUL ‘FLACCO’ LIVINGSTON for songs, sex, violence and feminism that revolutionised the world of comedy in the 80’s and 90’s. The ten night run at Edinburgh’s Pleasance Forth begins on 3rd August and is followed with a five night run at London’s Soho Theatre in the Main Room starting on 16th August.
Launching at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe after busking on the streets of Canberra, the boys’ riotous performances lined with confrontational social commentary quickly saw them become a hit in the UK where they performed around the British Isles in venues ranging from West End theatres to rock halls and Irish pubs with audiences bathing naked (literally) in mob-rule chaos. Still virtually unknown in Australia, the boys broke here in 1989 with their own ABC comedy series, DAAS Kapital, which outraged viewers globally and was banned in Japan and Germany. After two seasons of DAAS Kapital’s moral mayhem and sell out tours, the group relocated to New York and the UK and attacked Canada, America and Europe, which included a notorious performance at the Barcelona Olympics Festival where their song about dogs was met with stony silence by the 12,000 attendees. During their reign the DAAS flooded airwaves internationally, making regular appearances on award winning BBC, ITV, Ch4, HBO, NBC and ABC television shows. Famously critical of the media, the group span lies to journalists that would often be published as fact – one instance involving defining Doug Anthony as a much loved Australian Prime Minister who had been assassinated by right wing extremists which appeared in many publications including The Times, The Guardian and The Independent (Doug Anthony was a former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia who had led the right-of-center National Party).
In 1994 DAAS abruptly disbanded; the catalyst for the split which arguably spurred their reformation was FERGUSON’S multiple sclerosis, a condition that now requires him to use a wheelchair. In 2013, the group performed a one-off show to launch their DAAS Kapital DVD and have since had electrifying sell out tours in Australia in 2014/15, indoctrinating a whole new generation to the cult of DAAS.
During DAAS’ hiatus, the trio embarked on a multitude of ventures including MCDERMOTT hosting ABC’s Australian satirical news show Good News Week, FERGUSON penning autobiography Carry a Big Stick about life with MS and touring a live adaption around the world and original guitarist RICHARD FIDLER presenting on ABC Radio which he continues to do today. Comedian and writer PAUL ‘FLACCO’ LIVINGSTON is a regular face on television screens (predominantly on the ABC network) and replaced FIDLER in 2014.
WHAT THE PRESS HAS SAID ABOUT DAAS
Sex & violence never smelt so bad. Rolling Stone
The single most innovative act seen on the fringe in years The Guardian
Brutally funny! LA Times
The most important comedy event since 1995. Sydney Morning Herald
Shambolic, unremitting evil… Time Out, London
Never, ever again. Irish Times
LISTINGS INFORMATION
DOUG ANTHONY ALL STARS
Venue: Pleasance Forth | Dates: 3-7th & 10-14th Aug | Time: 10pm | Website: wearelivecomedy.com | Box office: 020 7609 1800
Venue: Soho Theatre Main Room | Dates: 16th-20th Aug | Time: 9pm | Website: sohotheatre.com | Box office: 020 7478 0100
Find DAAS Live on Facebook and Twitter: @DAAS_Live #DAASLive
For more information and press tickets, please contact: Victoria Wedderburn: victoriaw@avalonuk.com / 0207 598 7222
