Decadunce is the latest work by kiwi comedian Marshall Lorenzo and it’s a quirky one man live sketch comedy show that pokes fun at politics, advertising and capitalism. Lorenzo is a very confident performer who is both down to earth and at the same time highly theatrical when the comedic moment demands it. His writing is sharp and at times devastatingly funny. The political and social jabs he makes are clever and there are times when he takes his characters and stories to extreme places to make a point.
What’s also clever is his style of performance. I’ve mentioned the theatrical nature of some of his delivery, but underpinning it seems to be a genuinely nice guy persona who loves to make people laugh. His piss takes and his on-point observations about our world are genuinely funny but never nasty.
Some of my favourite moments were the oft recurring ‘Briscoe’s Lady’ who seemed to get more manic as time went on; a robotic Harvey Norman sales man; and best of all a pretentious waiter at an over-priced Ponsonby bistro. They were the types of characters who would be right at home on a Catheriine Tate show – well done, and achingly amusing.
Lorenzo is a performer and thinker who I believe is definitely someone to keep an eye on, not just in this show, but in the future, and I can’t wait to see what he does next.
DECADUNCE
21 – 23 August 2025
Basement Theatre – Studio
