Brendon Burns and Craig Quartermaine @ Gilded Balloon

An oddly executed show highlighting Australian racism

Review by Holly Callender | 09 Aug 2017

Brendon Burns and Craig Quartermaine's comedic styles are yin and yang. Burns jitters on stage yelping out his material, while Quartermaine causally leans on the speaker, waiting for his turn to speak.

When he does, it's an analysis and personal account of the discrimination he's faced as an Indigenous Australian. Whereas Burns acts the white counterpart, rattling off instances when he's probably been a bit racist, albeit involuntary – the result of being born and raised in Australia.

The pair dissect their separate perspectives of race associated situations, like the time Burns raised his eyebrow upon discovering Quartermaine's wife is white, and Irish. The hour is steeped in Australia, and may lose interest from those with no experience of the country. However, stand up comedy is teeming with white straight men, therefore Race Off's essential message is necessary and important. 


Brendon Burns and Craig Quartermaine in Race Off, Gilded Balloon, Teviot (Nightclub), until 28 Aug (not 17), 6.45pm, £11-12