I arrived at the venue (Pony) at ten to eight for Tym Jeffrey’s new show and now for the news which was scheduled to start at eight thirty. I went up to the door staff and explained who I was and asked about the media ticket I’d booked and was met with a shrug and an explanation that they had no knowledge of tickets at all (it should be noted that Tym Jeffrey was there at the time and took part in the conversation). I went back to the bar and waited for the show to start. After no word or announcement about the show I became concerned. At about eight twenty five, I asked someone at the bar if they knew what was going on. I was overheard by another punter who explained that she had bought tickets to the show and was repeatedly given conflicting information as to when the show was scheduled to start. At eight thirty (the time it was advertised to start and the time I was given in regards to my media pass) myself and a bunch of other punters headed upstairs, only to find the show in full swing.
The shambles that had typified the logistics of informing punters of when the show was to start, continued during the course of the show. This show was advertised as ‘Tym Jeffrey and guests’. Unless you count minor appearances made by others on the videos, Tym was the sole performer in this show. The advertising also suggested this would be political or media satire. It was neither.
Tym Jeffrey started (as I saw it) in character. This character displayed a trait that spread its insidious tendencies throughout the show, displaying a lack of insight and undisciplined bitterness. Tym may have some good things to say, but if he does they are lost beneath a veneer of lazy material and even lazier delivery.
This was followed by video material which was essentially dull. These video segments, which punctuated the show, were long winded, taking up the already waning energy of the audience, with material that lacked any incisive or comedic content. These interludes were neither funny nor entertaining nor insightful, just hack attempts at being political. A pertinent example was a vox pop on the street about industrial relation laws, the ‘probing’ question being ‘what do you think of industrial relation laws’. The result was boring, unchallenging and enlightened no one. It made me respect the comedic and social talents of Sam Newman.
At times this show made an attempt to be a parody of a ‘current affairs’ show but it was so unconvincing in this pursuit that it often bore more of a similarity to the real thing.
There were a couple of songs set to music tracks such as “Video Killed the Radio Star”. These were difficult to hear and are for the most part unintelligible. The character work was full of basic stereotypes. The political content was superficial. Any attempt to make a comment on media was largely cliche’.
In Tym’s defence he did make an attempt to recap on the beginning that many of us missed and, in fairness, this was the first night run of the show. But none of this really sways me. Tym’s efforts may be well intentioned, and it honestly pains me to shoot down young comedians giving it a go, but this show needs a lot more work, a lot more crafting, a lot more discipline and a lot more content to justify itself as a festival show.