| The Sideshow | |
|---|---|
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| Created by | Ted Robinson |
| Written by | Ian Simmons, Simon Dodd, Dave Bloustien, Bruce Griffiths, Warwick Holt, Mat Blackwell |
| Directed by | Martin Coombes |
| Presented by | Paul McDermott |
| Starring | Paul McDermott Claire Hooper Flacco The Umbilical Brothers Tripod |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Megan Harding – ABC TV Ted Robinson – GNWTV |
| Producer | Pam Swain |
| Running time | Approximately 57 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC TV |
| Release | 21 April – 1 December 2007 |
| Infobox instructions (only shown in preview) | |
The Sideshow was a one-hour Australian television comedy/variety series that was broadcast on ABC TV in 2007. The show was a mixture of stand-up comedy, sketches, live music, circus acts, cabaret and burlesque. Hosted by Paul McDermott,[1] The Sideshow regularly featured performances and sketches by Claire Hooper, Flacco, The Umbilical Brothers, and Tripod.
The series was created by veteran director-producer Ted Robinson, produced for the ABC by Robinson's GNW company. It was similar in style to earlier Ted Robinson ABC comedy productions, notably The Big Gig, and the short-lived ABC show The 10:30 Slot, featuring "live-to-tape" performances before a studio audience, pre-recorded inserts and the use of multiple stages. The staging used elements recycled from the set of the former GNW series The Glass House.
The series began as a family-oriented variety show, airing at 7:30 pm on Saturday evenings. After 10 episodes beginning in April 2007, it took a few months off, returning in August at the later time of 9:25 pm allowed the show to move from a PG to an M rating, and to include more adult-oriented humour. Like other shows produced by GNW TV, it had a cult following, and was regularly watched by 300,000 to 400,000 viewers.
Episodes were pre-recorded before a live audience, at Studio 22 at the ABC's Ultimo studios in Sydney on Thursday nights for air on Saturdays. The series was shot in a very loose style and (like The Big Gig) it was typical for cameras and crew members to be seen in a shot. All floor cameras and the two Jimmy Jibs had oversized Christmas lights attached to them, and became part of the staging, rather than something never to be seen.
The Season 1 finale aired on 1 December 2007, and it was not renewed for a second season.
- ^ "The Sideshow With Paul McDermott". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 18 April 2007.