I was quite surprised to find that Mark Watson was performing in the Big room of The Melbourne Town Hall. Is he really that popular or well known here in Melbourne? Well the majority of the 2,000 seats were filled on Easter Sunday, though not sold out. The title suggested he had no idea what the show was going to be about when he named it, fair enough, that’s quite common. The first time I saw Mark, he was new to it all, but there was a big buzz around him and when I saw the show I was a bit disappointed that he seemed to spend too much time organising, giving audience members jobs and general rambling and too little time doing the comedy. There was less organising with this simple stand up show but he still seemed obsessed with explaining and deconstructing his act for the audience.
Mark surprised us by appearing from the back of the vast room and working his way down through the audience making us welcome and generally rambling about how his run of shows was going and how he was worried that Easter Sunday shows were usually the least atmospheric. So he was walking amongst us to create a friendly and exciting vibe. His faffing about was quite charming, but unfortunately it goes on just a bit too long and the audience were willing him to get up on the stage and get on with the bloody show. You could forgive him by beginning his act with airports and Australia’s fruit quarantine, he probably doesn’t know how many overseas artists go on about it and air travel in general, after all it does take a 24 hour flight to get here.
Mark was better when he got into the meat of the show about collapsing with chest pains and being told by the doctor to calm down and take life less seriously. This to a rapid fire, shouty, environmental campaigning, comedian. This might explain why for the first time Mark is not doing one of his famously grueling 24 hour shows this year. I can’t help but wonder if he needs 24 hours to fit in all his organisation and faffing about obsessions. His comedy highlights in this show included a horror tale about a railway toilet, his brilliant impressions of West End musicals that had me nearly falling off my seat laughing and his silent dad that made him bottle up his emotions that he now gets out on stage. I really enjoyed him turning a traditional comedy concept on it’s head ‘I love my wife so much…..’ and it was very funny.
Half way through the show he stopped for a break and asked the audience for the time and if we were OK. Its not a 24 hour show Mark, we’re only here for an hour, get on with it! Then at the end he explained how he was going to go off stage and come back and then leave. Oh Mark we have been an audience before, we know the drill. I don’t know if he really is one of the most anxious comedians I’ve ever seen or if he’s just filling time because he doesn’t have enough solid material. The material he has is quick fire and funny and his constant assurance and deconstruction of his act gets laughs, so generally I did find the show really entertaining. Without any audiovisual help or props, Mark is a very funny man, but Get on with it!!
Visit the Comedy Festival Website for booking details.