Presented by Mary Tobin Presents
Reviewed 29th February 2020
Arj Barker is a multi-award winning comedian who has been in stand up since the late eighties including being a regular favourite on Australia comedy television shows from The Glasshouse, Good News Week, Hughesy We Have a Problem and The Project.
His latest show, Comes Clean, had its world premiere in Adelaide and features an array of general comedic tales and observations. The stories vary from literal toilet humour and the discussion about the differences in toilets between the US and Australia, and on to topics about aliens, fleas, and general life stress.
Barker opened with a unique localised set that went well beyond the usual throwaway lines that would mention things such as a well-known suburb. These jokes were a welcomed introduction that instantly created a strong connection to the sold out audience in the Arts Theatre.
The staging for the show took on an interesting addition that worked rather well considering the audience is part of the general Fringe crowd in Adelaide. Barker placed himself on a lower stage in front of the main stage which brought him to a closer level with the audience. This small tweak to the setup created a more intimate style to the comedy and broke the distance that formal theatre staging can create.
Barker is a highly skilled, professional performer who appeared comfortable on stage. There was a relaxed timing to his comedy and his trademark mixture of microphone distances while talking and shouting to provide punctuation through intonation and volume.
While the general stories worked well as standalone pieces, there wasn’t a clear connecting narrative or general arc to the show beyond a few seemingly forced call-backs in the final tales. At times it felt as if several fast paced and humorous gala style comedy routines were pushed together in a developmental or trial manner.
Comes Clean is a good overall comedy show that covers the essentials for a stand up production. Arj Barker is featuring at the Arts Theatre as part of the 2020 Adelaide Fringe Festival.
Reviewed by Alex Dunkin
Twitter: @AlexDunkin
Rating out of 5: 3
Venue: Arts Theatre, 53 Angas Street, Adelaide
Season: 25th February – 14th
March 2020
Duration: 60 mins
Tickets: $35.00-$45.00
Bookings: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/arj-barker-comes-clean-af2020
www.adelaidefringe.com.au
www.arjbarker.com
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