CV

Nick Sun: Dreamfist
Live Review

‘If you don't enjoy Nick Sun, it's because you suck as an audience.’ This quote from Doug Stanhope is pride of place among the Australian comedian's promotional material and raises the stakes, if anything. But I am ultimately relieved that I can get away without sucking too much tonight.

I can see what Stanhope sees in Sun, a healthy disregard for social etiquette and a paradoxically vibrant pessimism that conjures up phrases such as being ‘raped by hope’. I expect that Sun's description of the US in Third World terms must have appealed to Stanhope too.

As with Stanhope, Sun is unfocussed at times but the fresh nature of routines on, for example, what the ‘YouTube generation’ really means and the origins of female genitalia, does shine through the haze of his chaotic persona.

Confusion reigns further, however, in the juxtaposition of routines with set pieces such as Sun pretending to wet himself by pouring water on to his trousers, or his impression of his life as a cat. While they do resonate with his world view, one that challenges nonsense with nonsense, they don't fit with his set that well and feel tacked on. Perhaps it’s because there's a lack of energy in the set to make the leap from weary observation to performance art.

One of Sun's abstract moments has him deliberately falling off a chair. I can't use this as a metaphor for the whole of his show, but there are moments that will at least make up you bob up and down in your seat with laughter.

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Nick Sun is the best thing I saw at Edinburgh this year (2011). The gig started with the terrifyingly defiant ejection of a heckling thug who just wouldn't shut up at the start. After threatening to cancel the gig, then cheering himself on and booing himself alternately from the front row, Nick clambered onto chairs in the front of the audience, singing "Why do birds suddenly appear, every time you are near?" through hallucination-strength analogue delay FX, till said thug eventually departed - someone video'd this, it was a moment of genius and I do hope it makes it to YouTube. I don't want to talk about the rest of the show in specifics as I don't want to give spoilers, but from I saw, Nick Sun is fearless in his depiction of light and shade, reason and nonsense, audience expectations and what comedy is meant to be. I was laughing so much I was hurting and I'm still experiencing intense inspiration days later. Not seen or heard anything as strong as this since a certain W. M Hicks. Well, someone has to say it…

ohcheers.com, August 2011

This man is completely surreal and shocking, the whole time I was watching him I was petrified. His set is genius and hilarious and his audience interaction is fantastic. This is the best act I have ever seen because Nick Sun breaks many of the boundaries of comedy, he's the Sex Pistols of comedy.

Danny, July 2011

Akin to watching somebody recite Ted Bundy fan-fiction - whilst crying and masturbating. It's a stretch to even call what this guy does 'comedy So, highly recommended. Obviously.

Dave Tearoc, January 2007

Different from the rest. Nick Sun is a hell of a improvised comedian and really shined last night in Adelaide.

Stu, March 2006

Best comedian ever

Dylan To the Max, March 2006

This guy is OK. In truth I and others found it hard to understand him. I saw him on a raw night at Rawhide in Liverpool. I can only assume from the good reviews he has had he was trying out some new material

Neill, January 2006

At times Nick seems a little introverted to deliver his material with the optimum conviction. It is only when he steps into his alter-ego "Clownbot" that his talent really shines. His soliloquy as a Calculator is a must see

Marwell, November 2005

Nick has an extremely good set, with absolutely loads of quality material, which he sells extremely well. More than aware of his shortcomings (which are few) and is working on them, which is an excellent sign. Spoke of "jumping ship" when things got a bit quiet, he shouldn't. Bags of good material, delivered just right.

Dave Longley, November 2005

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