Adam Hills presents
3 April 2016
Greek Centre
to 17 April
comedyfestival.com.au
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| Jake Johannsen |
To balance out my seeing women and alternative voices this festival, I saw Jake Johannsen.
At a very-well-aged 50-something and from the USA (he was a favourite on Letterman), I don't think there's anyone more middle class, middle aged, white, blue-eyed and heteronormative in the festival. With a mix of observational and anecdotal stand-up, his act is also as empty stage and microphone stand-up as it gets.
And he gets that. He knows the only thing he has to complain about is that he's getting older without too many complications – we may as well drink as we get older because we wake up feeling hungover anyway; best advice I've had all festival – and that his best stories are about being happy with his wife and daughter.
None of which make him any less funny. His stand-up is some of the best around as he knows that comedy comes from telling the truth about everyday life; it's not all misery, repression and misrepresentation. Happy people can be funny, too!
And I dare anyone not to like him.
The only downside is the weirdness of the venue – "go up these isolated concrete stairs that look like they belong in an episode of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit". But just think about it as bonus comedy festival adventure.
PS: I've been told that there's a rooftop bar that makes up for the "best to wear shoes you can run in" stair wells.
