Michael Chamberlin’s new show, “Buddha & Bluey & Me” tells the story of Michael and two friends he grew up with (not their real names as Michael points out early on in the show). The show is roughly broken into thirds as Michael recounts, in turn, his childhood, adolescent and adulthood experiences with these friends. Michael gives a rapid fire delivery and has an informal and relaxed relationship with the audience from the get go.
I suspect I’m harder on Michael than most because I respect him so much, but this is not Michael at his best. Michael’s greatest assets as a comedian are to be delightfully surreal and adroitly perceptive. In this instance his storytelling lacks the impact to support the humour, and the moments of Chamberlin-esque brilliance seem to disappear under a performance which is as conventional as I’ve seen from Michael.
That being said, Michael Chamberlin, even on a bad day, still makes for an enjoyable comedy performance. This is an amusing and charming story and Michael certainly had the bulk of his audience laughing throughout. And there are no doubts that moments of his brilliance and joy do shine through. For most people not acquainted with his work I imagine this would be a highly enjoyable show. I however tend to judge Michael by his own standard and in the past that is a standard he has set very high.
“Michael Chamberlin – Buddha & Bluey & Me” will run from Tuesday to Sunday until the 29th April. For more details check the Comedy Festival website