John Conway Tonight

It’s hard to work out where to start when describing John Conway.

His self-titled Melbourne International Comedy Festival show is absurd and ridiculous, and extremely overwhelming to have to write about; what in the world did I just experience and how do I put this madness into words? Picture a cheesy talk show host gone loopy, thrust onto a stage in an audience-filled room, with a variety of props and costume pieces to play with, and a handful of semi-rehearsed sketches to perform. Insanely energetic, surreal and unpredictable, Conway is not your average stand-up comedian.

This colourful, flamboyant performer boogies onto the stage in a white suit, Hawaiian shirt and a fez, clearly ready for a celebration. He is surrounded by a strangely appealing selection of cheap tropical-themed decorations and random objects, which he utilises throughout his epic production.

The show is made up of several short, prepared sketches, including a three-minute Broadway-style war monologue, a news report designed for cats, and a hilarious re-enactment of the final scene of Dead Poets Society. In between the various segments, Conway fills in the time with whatever inspires him at that moment, be it some improvised banter with unwilling audience members, some kind of weird dance move, or a prop he hasn’t played with yet.

Conway is confident and charismatic, and likes to laugh along with the audience. His tendency to laugh at his own jokes was a little distracting, although it also worked in his favour at times when his over-the-top smirks prompted the audience to laugh more than his original joke probably deserved. Assisted by an invisible voiceover (which entertained thoroughly with some impressive celebrity impersonations), our host flies through his set with dramatic enthusiasm and gusto. His immense ego and his love for being the centre of attention had the potential to turn the audience against him, but Conway had us eating out of his hand, excited to see what crazy act he would do next. His closing scene had the audience in stitches, unsure what was actually happening but loving every second of it. Who would have thought that glitter, maracas, muffins and an English flag could combine to bring about such wonderful hilarity?

John Conway Tonight is silly, chaotic and incredible. If you’re looking for something a little bit different and a little bit outrageous in this year’s comedy festival, John Conway’s on-stage party is a show that you absolutely need to see.