Comedy Reviews

“There is something infectious (in a good way) about watching a comic who is enjoying themselves. You can’t help but be caught up in their world, see things through their eyes and understand not just their humour, but their philosophy. Tim Minchin is one of those comics.

From the moment he entered the stage of the Kaleide Theatre, he was in complete control and seemed to love every moment of it. Minchin is a skilled communicator, demonstrating sophisticated, dextrous use of language in a way that would intimidate many a fine comic. He is a poet at heart, and expresses himself through poetry, song and spoken word, constantly finding the cleverest way to say what needs to be said. He is also a talented musician, hammering away at the grand piano in the centre of the stage like the keys were an extention of his agile fingers.

Ever the all-round entertainer, Minchin is as comfortable when things go to plan as he is improvising when things go slightly astray. Minchin has a mature take-it-or-leave-it attitude to his comedy – he is not out to make friends or seek popular appeal, simply to satisfy the comic desires of those who appreciate the richness of language in the same way he does.

Tim Minchin is the thinking person’s comic crumpet.”

(Ari Sharp – The Program)

“It saddens my heart to think that there are still people out there who haven’t witnessed Tim Minchin live in action. Nay, there are those who don’t even know who he is. Tim is disarmingly and effortlessly charming. He combines oddball mime, shrewd stand up, dexterous clowning and sublime musicianship to produce a show that delights his audience. Watching Tim perform is like being granted fairy wings. You walk in feet firmly on the ground but when you leave you’re almost imperceptibly floating just above the earth. This is a squirrel must see (and remember, every time you see Tim perform, a fairy gets it’s wings!)”

(Annette Slattery – The Groggy Squirrel)

“Tim Minchin is like Bert Newton, but is not nearly as strange looking and has what I think is his own hair. My rather stretched point is not that Minchin is an old daytime television presenter; because he is not; rather that he is a complete entertainment package; a man who can sing, dance, act and deliver the perfect one-liner with an eerie sense of timing. He has the skills, like Bert Newton (and scarily enough Kerri-Anne Kennerley), of an entertainer from a by-gone age where everyone could do everything. Minchin also has a potty-mouth, a self-deprecating grin, a sparkling wit, and the likeable dishevelled manner of Chaplin’s Little Tramp. All this goes together to make Minchin’s Darkside amongst the most enjoyable one man performances you are ever likely to see.

Minchin’s show is based primarily around a series of slightly absurdist, often perverted songs. Something of a virtuoso on the piano (note I intentionally avoided using a pianist pun here, so count yourself lucky) and with a fine ear for a catchy jingle, Minchin gets away with singing about such topics as dating a blow up doll and sticking Easter eggs up your ass. As well as being musically intriguing, the lyrics on even the most puerile-seeming numbers are witty. A musician, a comedian and a word-smith, Minchin is Gilbert and Sullivan rolled into one without the penchant for forcing cross-dressing onto others. On leaving the show, you’ll have at least one of Minchin’s catchy numbers stuck in your heads for days, but rather than be annoyed, you’ll still be cracking up.

One of the most pleasing aspects of Darkside is its carefully honed structure. This is more than just a random assortment of songs and sketches; it is a show that returns repeatedly to a self-conscious investigation of several themes in the comedian’s life. Tim Minchin is foul mouthed, rambling, slightly insane, and quite disturbing. He also happens to be extremely musical and totally hilarious. Darkside is more than just another ‘must see act’ in this year’s Comedy Festival, it is one you really should see.”

(Gawain Davies – The Swine)

“Take a dose of Ben Folds Five’s pop satire, a pinch of David Helfgott’s piano virtuosity and a whole lot of talent, mix it… and you have the wonderully dark world of Tim Minchin. The North Fitzroy comic’s latest show, Dark Side, is fast-paced and fun, offering stand-up, beat poetry, piano-based pop and yes, air guitar, inspired by his former life in a cover band playing at St Kilda’s famous backpacker establishment, the Elephant and Wheelbarrow pub. But Minchin’s forte is character pieces. The poem about one man’s anger management issues is hilarious, while the show’s title track effortlessly switches from brooding Nickleback-style lyrics to a carefree ditty about life and love. And to prove he’s not afraid to tackle the big issues, be sure to check out his very catchy Palestinian peace anthem about pigs and the Freddie Mercury-style ode to canvas bags.”

(Megan Miller, MX)

“…Perineum Millennium (the in-between years) cleverly veers from cheese to unease in the wink of a pianist’s eye. With a brain roughly the size of a bookstore’s cultural studies section and a vocabulary to match, Minchin blends smut with smarts. It is an unusual, unlikely pleasure to hear thunderous Cole Porter-esque piano stylings accompanying fierce obscenity. It is equally extraordinary to watch a routine about postmodern readings of Freud and find it as funny as a bottom joke. Minchin is indisputably chucklesome.”

(Helen Razer – The Age)

“Have you ever taken out a piece of paper, sat for five minutes, written down every single thought that comes into your mind, and realised you really are a wacked out, crazy individual? Well, welcome to Tim Minchin’s comedy/cabaret, Navel: Cerebral Melodies with Umbilical Chords. Nothing is sacred. Minchin takes the piss out of everything from Brazilian waxing, himself and sex, to religion, rich geezers and the Fringe Festival. The show is comprised of short skits and songs that have absolutely no relevance to each other or anything that Minchin talks about. But this is all part of the fun. Minchin’s deadpan demeanour and wacky facial expressions are the perfect foil for his cleverly written songs full of inane poetry and irony. The fact he sings and talks at a hundred miles per hour adds to the mayhem of the show. Navel rarely falls flat. Highlights include his piss-take of serious rockers in I Can Have A Dark Side Too, the Anger Management sketch and Inflatable You, which, as the name suggests, is a song all about his inflatable playmate. Minchin’s use of words is also quite amazing. He is able to rhyme in almost all his songs, and if words don’t rhyme he makes them up, which is again idiotically funny. Plus, Navel being the ironic cabaret it is, double entendres pop up everywhere, especially in Inflatable You where he begs “don’t let me down”. Navel never takes itself seriously and the only hint of depth in the show comes from the sounds of the double bass. But it’s still a show that requires concentration as Minchin’s train of thoughts jump suddenly from one topic to another. So, if you go to the bar to get a drink during the show, when you come back, you might find yourself completely lost for the next two minutes, wondering why everyone else is laughing.”

(Buzz Cuts)

“Tim Minchin redefines beat poetry and cabaret with his first solo show, Navel – cerebral melodies with ubilical chords. Minchin, who is articulate, thoughtful, dry, and unashamedly polysyllabic, had the audience cheering at songs such as Inflatable You and clever verses such as Perineum Millennium. Dark, irreverent and talented, Minchin, with Gordon Ryder on drums and Jeremy Burrows on bass, skips freely between the keyboard and microphone. Excellent, provoking, funny.”

(Fiona Scott-Norman – The Age)