Shane Todd Live

Shane Todd is from Northern Ireland, and he makes much of this - by playing it down.  That is, he’s distinctly ‘Irish’ and vague about it at the same time.  When an Australian hears his accent and asks if he’s still suffering from Brexit, he affects ignorance of the whole thing and avoids the issue in the time-honoured way: he puffs out his cheeks, sighs, shakes his head and says, ‘Fucked, mate.’ 

And that’s the other thing Todd does: he creates a persona of the rather self-absorbed innocent, surprised when he gets into trouble for saying or doing the wrong thing – like speeding up boring voice mails – giving an example of a simple request to pick up a loaf of bread on the way home.  It’s a voicemail that could’ve been one word, but that stretches out to lengthy, detailed instructions... 

And like any skilled comedian, he’ll come back to picking up that loaf of bread later.  He’s not one of those who tells a ‘funny story’ for its own sake.  There’s always a capper or a punch line – and that punch line will provide the segue into the next piece.

Of course, the ‘detached innocent’ thing is brilliantly calculated.  He’s a master of comic timing, of the rhythms of his storytelling, and of adding physical elements to his tales.  Like the time he was ordered to spy on a fellow employee and got right down flat on a toilet floor so as to look under a cubicle door.  When challenged – by his wife, say – he’ll literally bend over backwards as if to avoid a blow. 

To illustrate his version of himself as the centre of attention, he tells the story of his wife having a water bath birth.  Being ‘helpful’ (as opposed to the nuisance the midwife expects) he supports his wife at the edge of the bath, just when the baby is emerging into the water…  Shane’s arm is trapped between his wife’s and the edge of the bath.  It’s very painful.  Guess what takes priority at this important moment.

Shane Todd has worked with – or provided support acts for – big comedy performers.  An hilarious but rather sad anecdote about being the support act for Kevin Hart – the only brush-with-fame, showbiz story - is the climax of his act – and what’s so clever about it is that it fits perfectly with that detached innocent version of himself he’s created from the start.

Todd only had four shows in Melbourne. I caught the last one – and I'm glad I did.  I maybe laughed out loud more at this show than many others this Comedy Festival.  You can catch him in Fremantle, Sydney or Brisbane.

Michael Brindley