Tom Gleeson - Up Himself

12 Oct 2011-15 Oct 2011 ,

Stand Up

Critics' choice

The rather brilliant comic brings his new show our way

First published on 1 Sep 2011. Updated on 16 Oct 2011.

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“Hello bitchezzzz” isn’t really the standard greeting you receive from a man on stage in a collared shirt and suit jacket. But that’s the appeal of Tom Gleeson – what you see definitely isn’t what you get, and that alone is enough to get you laughing.

If Gleeson’s new show Up Himself only brings one thing across, it’s that Australia’s favourite comedic ginger is anything but up himself. Gleeson’s stage presence practically screams humble and his energy is so up there it’s quite obvious that he is very eager to please. But most of all, he just seems really, really happy to be there.

Gleeson covered topics from the monarchy, his Irish descent and Australians’ inability to converse, to internet porn, married life, boarding school and did some good ol’ ranga bashing (albeit, he did go on to mention that it is actually socially acceptable to be a redhead in Ireland. Who knew?).

His monologue about Prince William and all the praise he gets for being “down to earth” was highly amusing and right on the money (“He’s got a shitload of cash and fuck all to do, so he can just work on being down to earth all day long… or after lunch… or next week.”) And yes, the swearing was heavy, but it was not overkill. Another highlight was Gleeson’s tale about internet porn and how it taught him to use a computer, or more specifically, how to create a folder, and another hidden folder within that folder, how to clear his browsing history, how to clean his keyboard, how to… well, you know where that’s going.

Gleeson also does a Julia Gillard impression that (among the ginge tinge and accountant style outerwear) had some of us wondering how we’d suddenly ended up at the National Press Club. He also adlibbed with savage wit, even calling upon hecklers to hit him with their best shot. However, it was two young men sitting in the front row that copped most flack from the comedian. “What makes you think that’s appropriate?” Gleeson asked a shamed Alan, who had his feet up on the stage, and then followed with a long string of remarks insinuating that Alan and his friend Peter were secret lovers, referring to them as Peter Allen (get it?).

The only part of the show that didn’t really work was Gleeson’s story about his racist dog. In theory, it may have sounded OK, but in practice it was just a bit uncomfortable and not really that funny.

All in all, Up Himself is blokey humour at its best. Gleeson totally delivers, just as you’d expect him to, and an hour passed by quicker than you can say ‘comedy gold’.

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