First things first. Don’t assume by it’s title that Jason Pestell Jumps The Shark showed a performer past his prime. The title in fact was meant to represent dangerous feats of heroicism, not the process of decline (those unfamiliar with the term ‘Jump the Shark’ should have a read of THIS). Now with two concepts to work with, Jason also threw in some material about the unfortunate connotation for good measure.
The show was essentially a collection of stories from Jason’s life that were nicely familiar to many punters own experiences. They were given plenty of comedic spin and word play to make them hilarious. We heard tales about late DVD rental fees, school ground bravado and his experiences teaching that were delightful and brilliantly funny. In addition he presented material about his hometown of Adelaide and his impressions of Melbourne.It gave him an opportunity to show off his research although a few stray South Australian references managed to slip through.
Jason clearly loves a pun and this show was full of them. There were groaners as well as extremely clever ones so the punters were treated to the full spectrum. He used some lateral thinking and brilliant word play to get his ideas across and keep the laughter up for the duration. His economic yet descriptive tales helped transport the punters to those moments in time. His upbeat, animated and friendly stage presence helped us to quickly warm to him as if he was one of your closest mates. This manner was especially important in such an intimate space such as the one he was performing in.
I’m sure that he’s going to hate me for mentioning it but, aside from a short segment of mild toilet humour, Jason’s material was quite family friendly. I don’t see any stigma in this as it is an accolade to Jason’s ability to create and execute material strong enough that it doesn’t require obscenities to assist it’s impact. It’s also something that some of our readers want to know about for their show selection criteria.
This was a show of words and storytelling which Jason did with ease. He did include a few props to great effect, in particular a couple of large inflatable objects that occupied the tiny stage. They sat there in anticipation for a conclusion that embraced the spirit of the Happy Days episode in question.
Jason Pestell Jumps The Shark was great combination of stand up, storytelling and spectacle. I’m not sure how children will gain entry to the Portland Hotel, but this is a show that everyone will enjoy.
For booking details visit the Comedy Festival website