Jim Jeffries - Hellbound
By Chris Wood
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Jim Jeffries
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It’s all happening for Jim
Jeffries at the moment. Having slowly built up a steady following in
the UK, he’s now moving on to the greener pastures of the US. Before
this momentous journey however, he managed to find time to stop by the
country he so affectionately calls home. To the familiar sounds
of Australia's biggest export (that is AC-DC and not Air Supply)
Jeffrries gingerly walks out clutching a couple of beers. Moments in
Jeffries explains that he is a ‘miserable c#&t’ and an atheist.
It’s only at this point that the shows title really starts to make a
great deal of sense. He also trumpets his disdain for people who don’t
drink, re-assuring of this claim by swigging repeatedly from his now
almost finished stubby. His brilliantly executed slurred and
eloquent on stage persona are at times brought undone by his scholarly
like diction and the competent delivery of his remarkable stories. Yet
this does not really detract from the overall experience. Actually, it
tends to work in his favour across his arsenal of stories, rather than
jarring the audience with any possible criticisms of inconsistency or
believability. His interest in the male psyche is particularly savvy,
and is evident through his curious and accurate observations of
Australian male behavior. One of the more endearing aspects of
Jeffries routine is the accessibility of his stories. Although delving
into some pretty serious subject matter, he always maintains and
acknowledges the audience. Despite offending some with his brash and
uninhibited stage manner, he is equally compelling and provocative as
he is offensive. He has all the qualities of a truly gifted story
teller, and has all the criterion boxes ticked to be a hugely
successful comedian in his native Australia. Yet, for some unknown
reason he remains somewhat of a low-key figure on these shores. It
appears to be a rare case where Australia as an audience is unwilling
to lay claim to the successful export. It’s easy for Jeffries to
be dismissed simply as a ‘blokes’ comedian. I over heard a striking
young blonde sitting behind me describe his style as a potential ‘hit
with the tradies’. While I wont deny that the tradies of Australia
would find Jim Jeffries funny, I think the striking young blondes
summary of his comedic potential was perhaps a little too narrow.
Judging by the variety of the sizable crowd, he’s anything but a
stereotypical blue collar comedian. It’s his unabashed and honest
brutality that makes him so likable. He doesn’t hold anything back, and
that allows for the audience to ride shotgun with him throughout the
show. He doesn’t have any pretensions and doesn’t suffer from any
superiority complex or any other such issues. If it weren’t for this
raw emotion, I dare say a lot of people would find him crass and
alienating. "Jim Jeffries - Hellbound"
When: 2nd - 26th April (Tuesday - Saturday 9.30pm, Sunday 8.30pm)
Tickets: $35 full, $30 concession, $32 (Groups of 6 +), Previews $25
Where: Victoria Hotel (Banquet Room) - 215 little Collins St, Melbourne.
Bookings: Ticketmaster & at the door
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