Daniel Connell – Likeable Enough : Melbourne
Comedy Festival
Review by Sean Lynch
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Daniel Connell
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It's tough enough to win over a Sunday night crowd
at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, let alone a Sunday
Night crowd who have yet to eat dinner - they are hungry, generally
nursing hangovers and are more than ready to head to bed in order to
prepare for the week of work related misery that lay ahead.
However, none of this seemed to phase Daniel Connell in the slightest.
The crowd was instantly won over by Connell's warmth and you could
quite easily mistake this Sunday night show for a "shooting fish in a
barrel" Friday night type vibe.
A rising star in Australian comedy, Daniel Connell was selected by the
Melbourne International Comedy Festival to be part of The Comedy Zone
in 2011 - a show featuring Australia's funniest new comedians. He
graduates into the world of a debut solo show with true ease.
His material ranges from schoolyard shenanigans, to past girlfriends,
a bizzare look into the world of sexual fetishes and the serious and
often undiscussed issue of "Mother Snaps" (of which all mums are
permitted five each in their lifetime).
It's instantly relateable without ever becoming
par-for-the-course. Connell also manages to mix in just the right amount of
quirkiness to keep you on your toes and shows glimpses of a Bob
Franklin-esque rhythmic brilliance.
With Likeable Enough is built up largely of well honed club sets, the show
and topics keep ticking along at a generous pace while still managing
to cleverly interweave overall story arcs.
Keep an ear out for one of the shows major highlights - a spooky horror story
- which perfectly represents Connell's ability to weave absurdity into
his gear without ever alienating the mainstream audience he quite
deservedly will win over as he gains more exposure in the next few
years.
Well worth checking out, one of my favourite shows of the festival so
far.
SEE IT IF YOU'RE A FAN OF : Bob Franklin, Dave Hughes, Jimeoin
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