Image: www.sydneycomedyfest.com.a
As he tells it, Matty B acknowledged he was a bogan when he realised he owned a ‘going-out’ flanno. Having grown- up in a country town near Newcastle, he makes full use of his upbringing and experiences for his Sydney Comedy Festival show. From stories about growing up with a father who was a Doctor in Psychology, to delivering pizzas while stoned as a seventeen year old boy, the audience members are treated to a range of witty anecdotes and observations over the course of an hour at the Factory Theatre.
To be precise, Philosophical Bogan is actually held in a shipping container in the Factory Theatre’s carpark- a space they’ve imaginatively titled, ‘The Container.’ It’s an interesting venue: small, narrow and dark, but a great space to host Matty’s sharp, fast show. The crowd is an intimate one, many of whom are long-time fans, friends and relatives of the comedian. This serves to heighten the banter: heckling is good natured and despite his self-proclaimed ‘bogan’ tag, Matty is inoffensive and humorous without resorting to drawing on negative experiences of of others around him.
There are no long drawn-out life stories in this show; instead, Matty draws on the mood in the crowd to hit them with a barrage of non-sequiturs and witty one-liners. He makes use of the token Aussie Racist and dumb Queenslander labels, which always garner a laugh or 2, as well as commenting on everyday trends such as Aldi’s ‘specials’ and school playground speed limits. There’s even an audience giveaway section, where some lucky members go home with loot, including a Twix bar and a new Kmart flanno.
The philosophical section of the show may be a little sparse, with references to cognitive behavioural therapy programs perhaps the only joke that sets Matty’s work apart from others of his ilk. But for an entertaining, accessible evening of comedy, festival goers could do a whole lot worse than checking his show out.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Matty B- Philosophical Bogan
Sydney Comedy Festival
http://www.sydneycomedyfestival.com.au/
The Factory Theatre, Marrickville.
Tues 12- Sat 16 May at 7pm
