Okay, I concede, I don’t like having to make big calls like this, but Tom Ballard has the best opening to a comedy show I’ve seen in recent times, or, in fact, in memory. I won’t describe it for fear of ruining it for prospective audiences, except to say that it’s deceptively simple but strikingly effective. I know that people flash the term “comedy gold” around like a fishmongers fanny but I promise you this is the real thing, comedy gold.
In fact there is a lot of gold to be found in this show, real gems of many colours. The really striking thing is how barbed Tom can really be. To look at he’s all golden haired and rosy cheeked and butter wouldn’t melt, etc. But his caustic explicity in this show is reminiscent at times of the likes of Jimmy Carr or Frankie Boyle. And like those guys, Tom can take a subject to the edge of offence and compound that with a singular blow, right to the heart of it.
There’s no particular theme to Several Nights Only , which Tom explains to us at the start. It’s a bunch of different jokes for an hour. This show is directed by Celia Pacquola and it’s easy to detect her influence of surreal silliness. Tom promises that he will share with the audience “the worst thing he’s ever done” at the end of the show. He also refers to this, increasingly, as the show progresses. When he does tell us…well…it’s worth waiting for.
As I said before there is real comedy gold in this show, but their are a few slightly flatter patches at the moment. Also I would say that Tom could do with light and shade to his performance. Apart from the opening, the tone and metre of his performance remain fairly constant and would probably profit from a bit of softening. As well as this he still has the annoying habit of stopping and pausing between jokes, as if trying to think of the next bit, although this habit is less pronounced and less frequent than at his last outing at the Comedy Festival.
But in saying all that I really am being very picky about what is overall a fantastic show. Tom is still a youngster in the comedy game but I think he has surpassed labels like “up and comer” and “one to watch”. I think it’s fair to say that Tom has officially arrived.
For more info and booking details go to the Melbourne Fringe Festival website