The Kransky Sisters at the Big Joke Festival

The Kransky Sisters at the Big Joke Festival

08 October, 2008
by: Emma

The award-winning Kransky Sisters may have a cult following but if you have no idea what to expect the experience is all the more surreal.  Annie Lee, Christine Johnston and Carolyn Johns play the Kransky Sisters  -  Mourne, Eve and Dawn.  The three spinsters come from Esk in Queensland and play covers of well-known tunes from the Sugababes to Steppenwolf on bizarre instruments including a 60's reed keyboard and a musical saw. 

Songs are interspersed with tales of home, their life on the road and some traumatic childhood memories.  They weave anecdotes into the songs with amusing subtlety; for example a story about them travelling over here for their tour and nearly perishing onboard a ship is followed with an unrecognisable introduction to the Bee Gee's 'Staying Alive'.  When the chorus kicks in though, there is a flurry of giggles as everyone catches on, followed by silence as we are left to enjoy the music.  They can harmonise and sing very well, not to mention play the guitar, keyboard and tuba expertly, but the most fascinating aspect of their routine is undoubtedly the musical saw played by Eve.  She clutches the base of the saw between her knees and then draws a violin bow across it while jiggling her leg, producing an incredibly eerie but pitch perfect sound.

The covers range from modern pop hits like Jamelia's  'Superstar' to more dated classics like  Stealers Wheel 'Stuck in The Middle With You' to the totally obscure like Devo's 'Whip It'; an 80's chart track,  almost as unfamiliar then as it is now.  They finish on one old favourite: Steppenwolf's 'Born to Be Wild', a great finale, only undercut by encouraging the audience to clap in time which serves as a distraction.

Aside from the music, their stories are well-crafted and delivered; they live a sheltered life in rural Queensland, closer to the 1950's era than the present day.  They hear all the songs they cover on the wireless, they have only ever had verbal relations with men and work in places like the launderette and the local egg factory.  Mourne is the speaker for the group and runs a tight ship as far as her sisters are concerned.  Ever since her mother ran away with their uncle, she has had to look after them and plays the matriarchal role comically, scolding the youngest, Dawn, like a naughty child and glaring at her whenever she gets the chance. All three work hard on their facial expressions and it pays off; just one wide-eyed stare from Mourne at a particularly painful memory Eve has dredged up increses the comedy of the story tenfold. While their history is played out well, the story of why they are visiting London turns so farcical - involving them delivering stuffed animals around Britain- that it slightly undermines the reality of their act.

This is however, a small irritation in a largely entertaining show.   You couldn't get a more unique comedy troupe than the Kranskys; they are weird, fascinating, macabre and funny all at the same time.  The humour is deadpan and subtle which always goes down well and while the audience may not laugh out loud frequently, they get a very warm response and have some eager fans waiting to meet them after the show.  It is innovative, unusual acts like this that keep the alternative comedy scene so interesting, let's keep it coming!

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Emma