Last Actor Standing

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https://www.losttheatreco.com/last-actor-standing

Date Reviewed: 12/06/2026

North Melbourne is not my regular haunt, but surprisingly nice. I always imagined North Melbourne as a space bereft of large and welcoming families. A suburb entirely populated by wrought iron fences, beware of the dog signs, overlooked middle children supervised by their fastidiously dressed single fathers. I did not have my prejudices necessarily overturned, but I was quaintly surprised.

The venue reminds me of the old Butterfly Club before it sadly closed its doors. A kooky and cramped little theatre brimming with noise and activity. A beautiful, tucked away kind of hole in the wall. The kind of place you dream of taking someone on a first date to. It possesses that increasingly rare quality of feeling discovered rather than advertised.

The audience was young, well dressed, and made all the right noises. They too seemed to be brimming with enthusiasm and excitement for the show, lending the evening an infectious energy before it had even begun.

Last Actor Standing is a comedy and improv show that has a very ABC talk show structure to it. If I had one recommendation, it would be to lean away from this faithfulness to structure. There is a lot of rule explaining and reliance on PowerPoint slides, which occasionally slows the pace of a show that otherwise thrives on spontaneity.

This works well to bring in new members of the audience, but I would rely on your skilled announcer, the charming Noah Sargent, to deliver these facts rather than giving audience members time to read the slides. The music was cute and cheeky and added a spice to the show that I did not realise it needed. It often arrived at exactly the right moment, punctuating jokes and transitions with a welcome sense of play.

There is something palpably raw about Noah Sargent. He has an unvarnished confidence about him, a unique blend of shuddering awkwardness and determined confidence that allows him to steer what can, at times, be a chaotic show.

What has been written for the show flows well with the improv. Both Pip Wiseman and Alex Watts have done a masterful job writing clever, witty humour that never smothers the talent of the performers. Instead, the script provides a framework sturdy enough to support improvisation while still allowing the cast room to surprise one another and the audience.

There is a sincere handmade quality about the whole production that uplifts the jokes in the show. Everybody performing is clearly enjoying themselves and is obviously talented. That sense of collective enjoyment proves infectious, making even the rougher edges feel charming rather than accidental. Jacob Kuek, in particular, is a hilarious and outstanding talent.

Last Actor Standing is a fascinating window into the world of standup in Melbourne, and I am keen to see what Lost Theatre Co. will next put out into the world. If you have any interest in Melbourne theatre and live performance in what has to be the greatest city in the world, you should buy a ticket to see Last Actor Standing.

By Nicolas Van Der Haar