The kings and queens of off-colour screwball comedy are trying their hand at political satire with their 2019 production, the Lyin' King.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The absurdities of the last federal election may have seemed beyond parody at some points, but the Uni Revue is giving it a stab by setting it in the savannah.
"We have Shorten playing the Simba character, who is set up to be the next Prime Minister of Australia," co-director Zeb Dwyer said.
"And it's the Hamlet story of the Lion King: he runs away and goes off and meets some people - I won't say who they are - and then he comes back, and loses anyway."
IN OTHER NEWS:
The 20 cast members will be portraying everyone from Zazu to the hyenas in the Disney production - if they were members of the Australian parliament.
This is the 71st year of the Uni Revue, and Dwyer said he and co-director Beck Andrews were moving with the times.
"What's OK to do and what's not OK to do has sort of changed - we try to be a bit more satirical about things, rather than just being out-and-out offensive for the sake of offensiveness," he said.
"[We want to] bring that intelligence back. But maybe we fail - we are only amateurs.
"There's definitely still goofy bits, rude bits - we're trotting out the old jokes and running gags that people like."
The Lyin' King is playing at the Princess Theatre in Launceston from September 4 - 7, with tickets through www.oldnick.org.au. Expect nudity and strong language.