The Melbourne International Comedy Festival
Max Watts – Swanston Streeet
Reviewed on April 5, 2018
With more than 600 acts on offer, patrons at this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival are spoiled for choice.
One local hero, Dave Thornton, is a veteran player on the national stand – up comedy circuit. At thirty – eight, he already has a long and impressive list of live, television and radio appearances.
In 2013, I had the honour of reviewing Thornton’s MICF show, Tall & Pointy. Five years on, his laid – back, trademark charm is stronger than ever. So What Now? demonstrates why he is a story – telling king. Right from the outset of this fifty – minute journey, Thornton is friendly, goofy, self – deprecating and engaging.
As a choice of venue, Max Watts creates an up close and personal experience. Meaning, So What Now? is at times less an actual show, and instead like we are reuniting with a long – lost buddy.
Prior to his jam – packed set, Thornton chatted and connected with several people in the first few rows. Always on his A Game, he managed to generate big laughs from the most innocent conversation. Thornton is switched on, always in the moment, and sharp. Seeing him work the room with utmost confidence, is a pleasure in itself.
Like my previous experience, Thornton covers a wide range of topics, this time, including:
- Attending a Foo Fighters concert;
- Binging on gritty Netflix dramas;
- The rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne;
- Donating clothes to charity;
- Pedigree dogs;
- Gentrified suburbs;
- Alternatives to dairy milk;
- Cute babies;
- Trying for a child;
- Safety words;
- Buying condoms from a supermarket;
- Mums and smart phones;
- Flying Qantas versus Jetstar or Tiger Air;
- Mobile phone dependency;
- Grammar police;
- Sympathy claps;
- The meaning of words;
- Letter redundancy;
- Cashless societies;
- Fruit molestation;
- Taking an Uber with your mum;
- Five – year financial plans;
- Teaching kids sign language;
- Infant logic;
- Swearing in front of children;
- Anticipating his daughter’s teen years;
- Comedians who are parents;
- Truth in silence;
- Being stung by a jelly fish;
- Male versus female egos;
- Missed call paranoia;
- Katy Perry’s marriage to Russell Brand;
- The Brunswick Baths kiddie pool; and,
- Messing with the mind of an eight – year old bully.
In the mere space of an hour, who knew we could learn so much about contemporary society?
This is more than stand – up comedy. As Thornton cheekily declared at one point, for the benefit of any reviewers out there in the audience, “It’s a Ted Talk with punch lines.”
Thornton closed the show, by dragging a volunteer up on stage. Dylan, whom he had been grilling earlier, was more than happy to be a willing victim. Together, they played a game, where Thornton asked five multiple – choice questions about his routine. For the record, Dylan aced it.
It was a delight to see Thornton in top form. So What Now? plays for the full duration of the festival until April 22.
Image Source: Brisbane Powerhouse