Tom Gleeson is a self-described arsehole – the type of person who finds awkward situations enjoyable and thrives on confrontation. He’s also a veteran of the Australian comedy scene, with 20 years of experience under his belt. Combined, these two things create the perfect formula for a thoroughly entertaining hour of comedy.
Gleeson is more than willing to take a swipe at audience members, which makes for a hilarious opening to the show when he chats to a confident 18-year-old engineering student and a retired maths teacher in the front row. Unlike some of his previous shows, politics and world issues take a back seat this year, with the exception of Gleeson’s plan to combat terrorism, which prompted some of the biggest laughs of the night. The rest of the show centres firmly upon Gleeson himself, specifically his family life. We hear about his childhood growing up on a farm, stories of his brothers and sisters and how he’s settled into being a father himself in recent years.
It’s not a fast-paced show by any means – Gleeson takes his time with each story and constantly refers back to previous remarks, testing the audience’s memory and ability to make connections. What ensues is a staggered level of laughter as each person clicks where the joke is going. That said, some jokes drag on a little too long, particularly towards the end of the show, with some initially amusing stories losing their impact altogether.
The central theme of the show is how content and happy Gleeson is with his life right now, which makes for plenty of good-natured comedy as he speaks about the little, nearly insignificant annoyances in day-to-day life. The man does seem genuinely happy with his life right now and his stories about his kids and nostalgia for life on the farm bring a smile to your face.
BY KELSEY BERRY
