The Tim Minchin experience was a sensational one. The wobbly start and technical misgivings did not affect the rollicking journey the audience were treated to. The man is a star – his look is iconic, his piano playing extraordinary (and often indulgent – well, you would play extravagant jazz infused solos if you could, wouldn’t you?) and his unique comedy sits in a hazy area somewhere between beat poet and Ricky Gervais. Tim’s song about ‘prejudice and the language of prejudice’, ‘Only a Ginger Can Call Another Ginger Ginger’ was the perfect beginning to the show, which had audience members squirming in their oh so politically correct seats: ‘A couple of Gs an R and an E, an I and an N, Just six little letters all jumbled together, Have caused damage that we may never mend.’
Minchin’s talent lies in the way he fuses his cynicism with light hearted melodies and lyrics. His comedy is a bizarre combination of both cutting cynicism and naïve joy – a mixture you rarely find in comedians who more often than not sit in one of the two categories. Essentially, he is a more highly sexed version of Bill Bailey. Comparisons have often been made between Minchin and Brand, but I believe this comparison to begin and end solely on physical looks. Highlights of the evening include the marvellous ‘Canvas Bags’ which is a catchy, anthemic parody that draws attention to the current obsession the world has of not using plastic bags. There was a distinct reminiscence of Bono in this performance, in Minchin’s megalomaniac delivery and the blatant piss-take of rock stars who believe their music to be so important it will change the world, a la Band Aid. Another showstopper included the hilarious ‘Bears Don’t Dig on Dancing’ in which an ‘unsuspecting’ audience member was plucked to put on a bear suit on stage and refuse to dance for most of the song. I laughed out loud when Minchin asked the bear what his name was: ‘Mark’. Of course the bear was a plant, and when it was the bear’s turn to dance, he danced like a mofo.
The pinnacle of the evening was nine minute’s worth of a faultlessly executed beat poem ‘Storm’ which was a beautifully expressed tirade about the pitfalls of alternative medicine. The encore was a serious ballad he had written for his baby daughter. Slightly self-indulgent some may think, but fuck it, it was Christmas, he’d played a consistently funny show and Minchin fans are aware that he is also a ‘serious’ songwriter, actor and performer. We were lucky to get a glimpse of another of Tim’s talents. He is so good he makes me sick, but mostly he makes me laugh til tiny tears seep out of the corner of my eye.
Tim Minchin tours the UK throughout September and October 2009. For more info see www.timminchin.com
Minchin’s talent lies in the way he fuses his cynicism with light hearted melodies and lyrics. His comedy is a bizarre combination of both cutting cynicism and naïve joy – a mixture you rarely find in comedians who more often than not sit in one of the two categories. Essentially, he is a more highly sexed version of Bill Bailey. Comparisons have often been made between Minchin and Brand, but I believe this comparison to begin and end solely on physical looks. Highlights of the evening include the marvellous ‘Canvas Bags’ which is a catchy, anthemic parody that draws attention to the current obsession the world has of not using plastic bags. There was a distinct reminiscence of Bono in this performance, in Minchin’s megalomaniac delivery and the blatant piss-take of rock stars who believe their music to be so important it will change the world, a la Band Aid. Another showstopper included the hilarious ‘Bears Don’t Dig on Dancing’ in which an ‘unsuspecting’ audience member was plucked to put on a bear suit on stage and refuse to dance for most of the song. I laughed out loud when Minchin asked the bear what his name was: ‘Mark’. Of course the bear was a plant, and when it was the bear’s turn to dance, he danced like a mofo.
The pinnacle of the evening was nine minute’s worth of a faultlessly executed beat poem ‘Storm’ which was a beautifully expressed tirade about the pitfalls of alternative medicine. The encore was a serious ballad he had written for his baby daughter. Slightly self-indulgent some may think, but fuck it, it was Christmas, he’d played a consistently funny show and Minchin fans are aware that he is also a ‘serious’ songwriter, actor and performer. We were lucky to get a glimpse of another of Tim’s talents. He is so good he makes me sick, but mostly he makes me laugh til tiny tears seep out of the corner of my eye.
Tim Minchin tours the UK throughout September and October 2009. For more info see www.timminchin.com
A cd of Tim Minchin's performance will be made available at the Queen Elizabeth Hall from March
LAURA ALICE
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