Jimmy Carr – Comedian marks the third DVD release from one of the most prolific comedians working in the UK today. At its centrepiece is an hour and a half long live performance recorded at the Bloomsbury Theatre in London.
One of the most striking things about “Jimmy Carr”:comic is his crafted approach to the mechanics of comedy. His is a craftsmanship which is rooted in the economy of language, resulting in one liners which are as tight as a nun’s nasty. I’m usually not a fan of straight feedline/punchline humour, but when it’s delivered with this level of deft accomplishment it’s very hard to resist.
There is a potential for this kind of relentless onslaught of one liners to become overwhelming for an audience, but, much as in his previous DVD’s, Jimmy breaks up these tirades of feedline/punchline with set pieces of thematic asides as well as occasionally breaking the pattern and utilising a shaggy dog style of joke telling. He is also a master of audience interaction with some of his retorts packing a fatal wallop.
Jimmy Carr is known for a kind of post modern irony, which involves a great deal of material which, on the surface, could be considered highly offensive, but it’s exactly this level of high octane offence which breaks through what is being said, subverting the meaning of the words. Of course that’s just a long winded way of saying ‘it’s ironic’. The offensive content also undermines expectation created by his somewhat conventional approach to joke telling and, in the end, you could never be offended by this material as his sheer charm offsets offence.
Extras include an exclusive sketch show which oscillates between the adroit and the oddly bizarre and is certainly worth checking out, if only for the chance to hear the sound of David Bowie watching a child fall to the floor. Also featured is coverage of Jimmy’s appearance on the virtual world of Second Life, as well as interviews and other bits and bobs. It’s also worth sampling some of the subtitle choices, which consist of subtitles written in a Brummie accent, a French accent, etc. (hint: watch them with the sound down, it’s much funnier).
This is probably the best example of Jimmy’s work made available in this format to date and will undoubtedly satisfy fans. Although a household name in the UK (he’s all over the telly there) Jimmy is largely unknown in Australia. This DVD operates as the best introduction for those as yet unfamiliar with his work.
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