Review – Simon Taylor: Funny
It must be hard being an Australian stand-up. As a culture we have a very specific brand of national humour – self-deprecating, but patriotic, macho, and often crude. Perhaps as a smaller country (and one without such a predilection to going to comedy shows), we don’t have the audiences willing to explore surrealist comedic material as readily. This means when the Fringe comes along you’re going to encounter what might simplistically and unfairly be branded the “Helliar-Hughes” style of Australian larrikinism. Mainstream, blokey, and generally a bit dull.
Thankfully, Simon Taylor, an up-and-comer from Victoria, has a little bit more to bring to the table. In his intimate gigs at The Spare Room he blends the typical Aussie observational style with a somewhat worldlier outlook. Taylor has travelled extensively, and is able to effectively juxtapose his international cultural perspective with local experiences. The set started strong, the comic deftly getting the audience on side with a dash of schadenfreude as latecomers were herded down to the front row for easy pickings. His rapport with the audience and confidence on stage made the atmosphere cosy, ably helped by a guest five minute set from Demi Lardner before he took the stage.
The fast first twenty minutes were sharp, but the audience was less comfortable when Taylor diverged into political humour about asylum seekers. (The topic du jour, apparently; the Fringe’s tagline may as well be “Come For The Atmosphere… Sorry, Not You.”) There’s nothing wrong with swinging for a big political joke but when the subject is touchy the standard of execution and punchline is higher. Unfortunately, while the material got laughs, Taylor’s premises are not yet conceptually fresh enough to truly win the audience over either politically or comedically. The last act, a winding relationship tale, is classic but safe.
Taylor’s voice is strongest during his precise dissections of local life from a global perspective. He carries himself with the recognisable air of that friend that lived overseas for a year, with an objectivity towards Australia that should prove a powerful comedic asset. He has the charm and the ability; he just needs to be bold enough to fully step out from Australia’s comedic safe zones and into the world.
