The Shambles (community television program)

infobox television
show_name = The Shambles


caption =
format = Sketch comedy
runtime =
creator = Sean Lynch
Nathan Valvo
Anthony Ziella
starring =
opentheme =
country = Australia
network = Channel 31
first_aired = 2002
last_aired =
num_episodes =
list_episodes =
website = http://www.theshambles.com.au/
imdb_id =
tv_com_id =
followed_by = |

"The Shambles" is an Australian television sketch comedy program shown on the community television station Channel 31 in Melbourne. It is written by and stars Sean Lynch, Nathan Valvo and Anthony Ziella, known on the show as Lynchy, Valvo and Sos respectively.

Debuting on Melbourne's Channel 31 in 2004, the show quickly gained a cult following, with a DVD of the first two series successfully released in late 2005.

2006 saw the show premiere on Sydney's TVS, Mount Gambier's Bushvision, Queensland's Briz31, Access31 in Perth and ATV in New York, while a third series was produced in Melbourne with cameo guests including Australian comedy veterans Russell Gilbert, Tony Martin, Shaun Micallef and Melbourne Mayor John So.

So far, three seasons of the Shambles has been produced.

DVD Releases

The Shambles have released 2 DVDs through Shock Records: The Best of Series 1 & 2 (2005) and Series 3: Shambolic Collectors Edition (2006) (includes the infamous 'Logies Guttertalk' episode).

In September 2006, their "Best of Series 1 & 2" DVD received a nomination for 'Best Comedy Release' at the coveted ARIA Awards alongside Lano & Woodley, Carl Barron and Fox FM's Matt Tilley. It is the only show to date in the history of Australian community TV to ever be nominated for an industry award.

DVD Easter Eggs

There are rumoured to be several secret Easter Egg clips over the two DVDs:

The Best of Series 1 & 2- "Jesus & Lynchy"Go to the DOCOS menu. Move the cursor down to WANKY UNCLE: HAWWAIIAN ADVENTURE then click left. A blue splodge will appear in the top right hand corner of the screen. Press enter to reveal a short clip from the final episode of Series 1 which features Lynchy having breakfasat with Jesus (as played by Sos)

Series 3: Shambolic Collectors Edition- "Sos & Valvo Kiss"Go to THE SKITS menu. Scroll down the options until you reach the bottom. Click Left or Right until one of their shoes highlights. It reveals the opening sketch of Series 3 in which Sos & Valvo are romantically running towards each other in a field.

- "Sir Ian Melly Uncut"Go to the LOGIES page. Click left or right until the microphone is highlighted and press enter. It will then play the unedited version of Sir Ian Melly's Birthday message which originally appeared in the second episode of Series 3.

The Shambles: Go Live!

Over three nights in November 2006 (23rd-25th), the boys played to sold out audiences upon taking their cult characters from behind the small screen onto the stage in front of packed audiences of the Gasworks Theatre in Melbourne for the first ever performances of "The Shambles: Go Live!". Featuring skits, characters and loads of audience interaction, this was a landmark event in Community TV crossover. On the final night of the show, Lynchy hinted that the boys were planning to take the event to the 2007 Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

In early 2007, it was announced that "Shambles: Go Live" would premiere at the 21st Annual Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Six shows were performed April 5-7 and 19-21. There were early rumours of guest appearances from rock band The Basics (featuring Gotye), who also appeared on the Series 3 DVD and performed with The Shambles at their 2007 Single launch at the East Brunswick Club.

According to Gasworks Theatre (where the show took place), The 2007 Comedy Festival show was a complete sell-out over the six nights, with over 800 people in attendance.

On the final day of the 2007 Festival, The Age newspaper in Melbourne released a list of winners of the Alternative Comedy Festival Awards called "The Whoopees", in which The Shambles were awarded with the MOST LIKELY TO BE SNAPPED UP BY COMMERCIAL TV GONG and the AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION GONG.

The Shambles: Big Time, Small Time

'Big Time, Small Time' is the name of the Shambles 2008 live show for the Melbourne international comedy festival. The gig, extending over an entire month took place in the European Beir Cafe.

The Show starts with a failed video attempt at a big musical number from 'Hairspray' (of which Sos refuses to take part in despite Valvo's 'questionable' enthusiasm for dressing up in drag). Once the video ends an announcement is made stating that the shambles will be replaced by the 'Christian Youth Theatre Company's production of "Gerald: a play about drugs, sex and peer pressure"... Sos once again refuses to go along with Lynchy and Valvo's enthusiasm for "Gerald" and after doing so is quickly replaced by an unknowing member of the audience.

Once Sos rejoins the group (and the replacement is ditched) the rest of the show is centered around the boys trying to raise money ($30,000) for a trip to Vegas. a collection plate is sent around the crowd for the remainder of the show, complete with alter boy (ie: an audience member sitting up the back)

The rest of the show is a series of quick sketches including: JR, Bad Joke Neighbour, The Interperative Dancer, Sir Ian Melly, Wanky Uncle, Skyline Man, The bad Judith Lucy Impersonator, The Chiocosky Brothers and the boys themselves

The Show finally ends with the boys disappointed with the contents of the collection plate, but thanks to their lord and savior (in this case Andrew O'Keefe) Sos manages to win the money on deal or no deal and they finally get their trip to Vegas.

Throughout the festival 'Big Time Small Time' gained a consistently good crowd with many good reviews on both the festival website and the Age.

The Breakfast Show

Sos, Valvo & Lynchy guest hosted C31's live daily morning program, "The Breakfast Show", during the first week of September of 2007. Guests to join the boys on the panel included former Neighbours star Patrick Harvey, comedian Michael Chamberlin, as well as Melbourne bands British India and Zoophyte.

Notable characters and skits from the series

* The Wanky UncleAn average uncle who is self-obsessed, always drunk and always attempts to embarrass anyone with which he comes into contact. His too-oft-repeated catchphrase is, "look out!"

* Skyline Man A character who repeatedly exaggerates about everything in his life - from women, to his "Gold Plated, Ruby Encrusted Skyline."

* RaveboyA raver who dances energetically to any sound he hears. In one episode, a car alarm sounds, causing him to put his lollypop in his mouth and start dancing. He isn't shown to talk. A similar character featured in the ABC sketch show Flipside some years earlier.

* Sir Ian Melly This character is the quintessential Music Industry type, with big hair, big furry jackets, big glasses and an even bigger drug addiction. He will often randomly stray into several lines of thought due to the years of cocaine abuse. "I'm one of only 3 people who has a license to ride a giraffe. It's just me, Michael Jackson and the boy from the Jungle Book."

* The Devil A character shown to have two priests as neighbours. This generally causes The Devil to get into arguments with them.

* Mr Over-reactionA man who over-reacts. In one episode, just a small touch and off he goes rolling down the stairs, on to the street and down the road.

* The Video BustersA pair of over-zealous, moustachioed detectives who work for a video shop and go around chasing up extremely late video rentals. They make numerous movie references in their relentless pursuit to catch out notorious late video renters. Their names are Detective A. Ventura and Sgt. Danny Glover.

* Steve The Bad Joke NeighbourA nerdy, speedwalking neighbour who constantly tries to offer jokes to the boys to use on their show, but although they are always terrible, the boys never accept them. "Why was the sand wet Nathaniel? It's because the sea weed!"

External links

* [http://www.theshambles.com.au The Shambles with Sos, Valvo & Lynchy: Official Website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/sosvalvolynchy The Official Shambles MySpace]
* [http://www.youtube.com/shamlynchy The Official Shambles YouTube Channel]
* [http://www.theage.com.au/news/comedy-festival/making-whoopees/2007/04/27/1177459980676.html The Whoopee Awards 2007 - The Age]
* [http://www.theage.com.au/news/arts/comics-lessons-of-laughter/2007/03/25/1174761272608.html?page=2 The Age - Class Clowns]