What's On

Fringe Review: Paul Dabek – Nothing Up My Sleeve!

Paul Dabek may have nothing up his sleeve but there’s plenty in his bag of tricks. He’s a comedic magician who entertains with his quick-wit and illusions.

Presented by Paul Dabek
Reviewed 16 February 2016

Paul Dabek may have nothing up his sleeve but there’s plenty in his bag of tricks. He’s a comedic magician who entertains with his quick-witted humour while conjuring magic that ranges from rope tricks to rings.

On the 2nd floor of the German Club (or The GC, as it has rebranded itself), Dabek welcomes his crowd with a quick flurry of magic before launching into a tirade of jokes, insults, sleight of hand and shadow puppetry, all neatly packaged in a snappy 1 hour of laugh-out-loud entertainment.

Dabek’s family comedy, The I Hate Children Children’s Show, is also showing this Fringe and overlaps by a few jokes and tricks but the majority of Nothing Up My Sleeve is as fresh as his occasionally potty mouth. Both shows are riotously funny for adults but no youngsters should be present for this show.

Although a comedian and magician, Dabek’s other great talent is his endearing ability to connect with his audience and react with humour to any person or situation. The show is fast paced so there’s no time for hecklers, but Dabek is his own heckler, with self-depreciation being half his charm.

There’s no bells or whistles to Dabek’s show. He holds his own on stage, no matter what antics he’s up to. Other than a few props, there’s nothing to distract you from his showmanship. If you don’t like magic, you’ll still have a laugh; if you’re not a fan of comedy, then his magic should intrigue you enough.

Either way, it’s a win-win with an LOL and more than one WTF!

Reviewed by Rod Lewis
Twitter: @StrtegicRetweet

Rating (out of 5):  4

Venue: The Studio, The German Club, 223 Flinders Street, Adelaide
Season: until 14 March 2016
Duration: 1 hour
Tickets: $15-$25
Bookings: Book through FringeTix online or at a FringeTix box office (booking fees apply)

More News

To Top