Review: Comedy for the Curious: 2025 at The Laugh Resort

Comedy for the Curious: 2025 at The Laugh Resort at The Shoe Bar & Cafe
Sunday, February 9, 2025

Fringe World comedy veteran Robyn Perkins returned this summer with the 2025 edition of her award-winning show Comedy for the Curious. Combining her backgrounds in marine biology and live comedy, Perkins’ Comedy for the Curious promised a comedy-style panel show with an educational edge. This season, the show’s focus was on the nature of ‘competitiveness.’

Perkins opened the show with an engaging set that introduced the show and set a comfortable standard for the tone of the evening—an easy-going, easy-to-enjoy hour of academic tomfoolery, with moments of audience engagement.

A fantastic and accessible offering, audiences needn’t have been scientists or academics to enjoy the science talk, nor did the more science-inclined need to put aside a genuine interest in the topic for the sake of a comedy show instead. The balance between both worlds was finessed and well executed.

Later Perkins invited guest comedian Raul Kohli to the stage to riff on their own experiences of competitiveness and bring a second comedic voice to the show. Kohli’s foul-mouthed, self-deprecating persona was a surprising fit for the show, often performing the legwork of keeping the show accessible for the less science-inclined. Though their ‘everyman’ persona was certainly a construct, it was betrayed by witty, lightning-fast jokes and banter throughout the night.

UWA lecturer Joseph Carpini brought the ‘expert’ perspective to the show, offering insight into their research in human behaviour in the workplace and the intersectionality of competitiveness. Carpini’s own outgoing and humorous persona was a great match for the show. Despite being the ‘academically-inclined’ talent on the panel, their foray into comedy of their own never felt at odds with Perkins or Kohli.

Unfortunately, to a certain extent, the show was burdened with a quiet and somewhat lacklustre crowd on a Sunday night. However, the strong formatting of the show—moving between segments and offering chances for audience interactions, including questions—maintained an engaging pace and tone.

Overall, Comedy for the Curious was a joyful romp through the worlds of science and comedy. A left-of-centre choice for festivalgoers, but one that was certainly rewarded.

BEC WELDON