Sammy J’s 1999 tells the tale of the rise and fall of a high school nerd. This ia a grand story of achieving school-wide fame through a lucrative ‘art’ business to defeating his bully, getting the girl and dealing with the consequences of his actions on that path.
Sammy’s attention to detail is a constant source of amazement. Every single moment of the show is filled with 1999 references, from musical cues to props to a multitude of throwaway lines. While in the hands of a lesser performer this could easily be a source of cheap laughs, here it’s weaved naturally into the framework of the show and provides a real sense of time. The authenticity of all this nostalgia adds a real weight to the entire show, culminating in actual footage of Sammy J’s performance on Hey Hey It’s Saturday’s Red Faces.
There’s still something very unsettling about walking into a show entitled 1999 and realising that this is a show of nostalgia. People like myself in their late twenties (OK, dammit, nearly thirty) are about to feel a little old. Maybe it’s not the nostalgia, but the fact that this still young comedian manages to push out such impressive material year after year.
The show is not just based on recalling magic eye puzzles and the music of Brittany Spears. That just provides a basis for Sammy to build his own story with some incredibly witty work and some brilliant (if occasionally juvenile) songs. The amount of work that goes into each Sammy J show is immediately apparent, and I can’t help but look forward to whatever comes next (which I’m sure he’s already working on).
1999 provides a great origin story for the onstage persona of Sammy J and adds yet another unmissable show to his repertoire.
Visit the Comedy Festival Website for booking details