Malaysian-born comedian Ronny Chieng has performed at sold-out shows in Australia and overseas since winning the Best Newcomer Award at last year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival, as well as appearing on the ABC TV show, Problems. Now it’s time for him to live up to the hype.
His new show, Can You Do This? No You Can’t centres on a disastrous trip he took last year to Montreal’s invitation-only festival, Just For Laughs. The stressful trip has caused him to store up his anger and Can You Do This? No You Can’t is his therapy.
The story about the trip itself isn’t thrilling, but the anecdotes he slots in between are what gets the audience laughing. Chieng lightly touches on his Chinese background by poking fun at Asian stereotypes, while his reflections on dating are finessed by unexpected punch-lines and great timing. He proves he’s not one to shy away from a challenge, and displays his intolerance of stupidity through his blunt, no-nonsense condescension.
A routine in which Chieng tries to make China cool again by listing Chinese inventions relies more on his delivery for its comedic value rather than the content, and his segues also seem a trifle awkward, even jarring, making him seem unprepared.
Chieng’s strength lies in being able to pinpoint an experience the majority of the audience can empathise with and exaggerating it to great effect. He accurately demonstrates the frustration of teaching our parents how to use the internet, causing audience members to clap in agreement and double over with laughter.
Not every joke is as strong but his weaker routines – such as the odd, inevitable poo joke or predictable punchline – are luckily overshadowed by his funnier material.
The hype Chieng generated last year has clearly set the bar high, and in this show, he just misses the mark. Regardless, Can You Do This? No You Can’t is still a very enjoyable show, though there’s still room for him to improve. By finessing the structure of his narratives, and pandering less to the lowest common denominator, Chieng can certainly become more than just the celebrated newcomer of Australian comedy.
Rating: 3 stars out of 5
Ronny Chieng – Can You Do This? No You Can’t
Melbourne Town Hall
28 March – 21 April
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
www.comedyfestival.com.au
27 March – 21 April
