Overview
For those who don't know - the boofy-haired fellow above is Joseph Moore. He's a Kiwi pro comic, writer for 7 Days and Jono and Ben and a 2013 Billy T nominee. Going on the assumption that Billy T nominees are usually amusing chaps, I was rather excited for his opening live stand-up show at the legendary Basement Theatre. Given the title, So, I'm a Dad, I expected dad jokes galore, insights into the hilarious shit a comic would get up to with his baby and maybe some cutesy stuff about being a father - low impact, easy going standard material. That is not what I got at all.
This show is loud and abrasive, there's a gunfight between crowd and comic, excessive use of the illegal drug weed and even a fist fight on the stage. Yep, it's absolute madness and at times it's even a little hard to watch - but most importantly it's hilarious and Joseph's complete commitment to the material is what makes it so. This guy completely goes for it whether he's recreating a pub gig from 2013, telling a bad joke about a foot spa or cradling a grown man in his arms half naked. His show is a unique one. Kind of like Rhys Darby in that there's a narrative here with many emotional ups and downs and even a couple twists (which you'll hopefully see coming). It's all completely ridiculous and absurd, at times you may wonder what the douchebag on stage is up to - but mainly you'll lose the plot with laughter.
This is what the Comedy Festival is all about - discovering new comedy, seeing something a little different and being surprised by how awesome it was. So for bombastic, absurd comedy at its best, a touching narrative about fatherhood and plenty of crazy audience interaction go and witness Joseph Moore's comic insanity first hand. You won't regret it.