Melbournians are treated to a double dose of Amos this year, as the festival favourite is hosting Talk Show in addition to his regular stand-up. The variety hour provides a casual setting for Amos and a handful of guests to gossip, share tales and tell jokes in a much more intimate venue than his usual performances.
The entertainment for Talk Show starts early when Stephen K Amos appears in a flash mob, dancing to Beyonce’s Crazy in Love outside the Town Hall. The actual show opens with two glittering drag queens dancing down the aisle and onto the stage where Amos gets down and dirty once again. This sets the scene for the show quite well, for what guest Catherine Ryan jokes is a “super gay spectacular”.
Consistent as ever, Amos brings his warmth and charisma to the stage, but directs the focus on his guests. He leads with a short bit about Scotland and his time at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, which is where Talk Show debuted.
Susie Youssef appears intermittently in character as Anya, Amos’ psychic who hails from ‘generic Eastern Europe’. Anya does a palm reading for one (un)lucky man in the audience, flirting uncontrollably with him and every other male she sets her sights on. While the joke eventually got old, it’s clear that Youssef is a woman of diverse comedic talent.
The show’s first guest was Joel Creasey, who has many quirky tales to share about his time on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! Creasey and Amos have a light-hearted chat about that time he supported Joan Rivers, being on social media as a comedian and what Maureen McCormick is like in real life.
Rhys Nicholson’s short but highly entertaining set explores the idea of being gay in a society that is becoming more accepting of homosexuality. ‘People are asking for tolerance,’ he jokes, ‘we’re not dairy products!’ For a topic that is far from new, Nicholson offers a fresh perspective, and can make you laugh even in some of the most uncomfortable moments.
Katherine Ryan’s blunt humour and sharp wit made her a standout. The Canadian-born comedian, now living in the UK, shares stories of motherhood and travelling to Australia for the first time with her five-year-old. Here’s hoping this is just the beginning of many visits from her.
The final act is a performance by Jackson Thomas, runner up of The Voice 2014. Thomas is an exceptional talent with an impressive vocal range, but considering the silliness that preceded, an emotion-filled ballad just didn’t seem fitting.
Anyone attending Talk Show with the hope of another stand-up set by Amos will be disappointed, but he is an entertaining host with a great rapport with all his guests. He strikes a good balance by skilfully steering the show through the mayhem, but taking himself offstage when his other guests are performing. This isn’t the type of show that will have you raving about, but it’s a safe bet for a solid hour of laughs.
Talk Show is a two-off special for MICF, with the second and final show on the last day of the festival with a completely different lineup.
3 stars out of 5
Talk Show
Stephen K Amos and guests
Melbourne Town Hall
12 and 19 April
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
www.comedyfestival.com.au
March 25 – April 19
