The gals from Annie and Lena Have a Talk Show are on before the show even starts. Ushering the crowd in, hustling, trying to make us take sides. Annie and Lena are talk show production assistants with passion, drive and ambition – the narrative arc that ties the show neatly together as they take us behind the scenes of their work.

There is a great vibe between Annie and Lena as they make their way up the ranks and introduce the audience to a range of talk show hosts and their guests. Annie and Lena transform smoothly from one character to another to deliver skits scattered with references to ‘real’ talk show hosts and known celebrities, including Steve Irwin’s unknown third child. There is also the purely fictional, including a six year old gamer with a disturbing ruthlessness.

As their careers progress for production assistants through to video editors, script writers and eventually to hosts of their own prank show, Annie Lumsden and Lena Moon keep the energy high and the gags flowing ranging from fart jokes, to great impressions of southern American show hosts, to feminist fails with Betty Boop-Oop-a-Doop.

Produced for Melbourne Fringe by Kaite Head of SKINT Productions, and sound design by Olivia Mckenna, Annie and Lena Have a Talk Show runs till Sunday 20th October at Trades Hall Festival Hub in Carlton. Grab a ticket, catch the show, have a laugh, and get a drink at the bar afterward.