Daniel Townes

Original Review:

Young Daniel Townes is an Australian expat, and much of his act revolves around the sort of whinging us Poms are supposed to be so good at: everyone is unfriendly in Britain, the weather’s too cold and the beaches are rubbish.

They are the typical moans of an antipodean visitor, and threaten to make for quite a pedestrian routine – and at times it does come dangerously close to that. But what elevates Townes’s set is his skilful turn of phrase, with each little whine encapsulated in a well-judged nugget of wit, nicely rounding off the point he’s making.

He’s an amiable lad, too, not so much bitter about his new circumstances in the UK, but rather just casually accepting them in an unflappably laid-back way. He’s quietly spoken, making each wry observation with an underplayed calmness that serves to draw the audience in to him, rather than battering them over the head with punchlines.

It’s an amiable, chatty set, rather than a barnstorming laugh riot, but his personable manner and a couple of engaging anecdotes - especially about his brief detention at the (unlubricated) hands of US immigration officers – are enough to ensure an enjoyable 20 minutes in the company of a friendly stranger. Date of review: Nov 2007

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