Dave Callan’s A Little Less Conversation celebrates the joy, and more importantly the comedy, to be found in dance. Playing at the Rhino Room until March 2nd, this is a show for which it is absolutely worth braving the Adelaide heat.
Living up to its title, the show is full of physical and visual gags. Well-known dances are hilariously undermined or turned on their head. A few well-placed observations turn a familiar move into a comic one. Many major dance crazes of the last hundred years receive the Callan treatment, keeping all generations in the crowd laughing along.
What conversation there is keeps strictly on topic. In typically economic speaking style Callan covers some of the earliest dance fads, boy bands through the ages, and when it is permissible to break out the pelvic thrust. He uses language beautifully. Each word is skillfully chosen to elicit (many, many) laughs and set up jokes for later on in the show. A Little Less Conversation could be used as a demonstration piece to show how few words are actually needed to make a successful stand up show.
But the real fun of the night is in the dancing itself. Over the past few years, Callan has often performed Beyonce’s ‘Single Ladies’ dance at the end of his shows. Rather than just clowning around, though, he genuinely goes for it. He’s learnt the moves, he’s got the groove and he really can dance (more or less). The best description of this comes from his own show notes: ‘A big Viking throwing shapes surprisingly well’.
For A Little Less Conversation, Callan has seriously expanded his repertoire of shapes so that his routines fill most of the hour. It really is an incongruous image, seeing this heavily bearded, imposing man bump, grind and Macarena. Callan’s flair for comic timing is just as important here as his musical rhythm. His choice of songs, moves and iconic, pop-culture references keeps the audience very entertained.
A Little Less Conversation is as clever as it is energetic. Put on your tap shoes and clickety-clack along to see it.
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
A Little Less Conversation
By Dave Callan
The Rhino Room, Adelaide
15 February – 2 March
Adelaide Fringe
www.adelaidefringe.com.au
15 February – 17 March
