Review by Steve Bennett

Probably because he spends so much time in Australia, it can be easy to forget just what a sublime observational comic Ireland’s Jimeoin can be.

He started his Latitude set with probably his greatest hit: showing how a subtle eyebrow movement can change a sentence’s intent – a bold thing to try in such a cavernous venue, but surprisingly effective. That was followed by an inspired description of the virtual reality of memories that surround is. This great routine shows his greatest strength – the ability not just to observe foibles, but also to posit an apparently credible, though clearly fantastical, theory as to why this may be so.

As opposed to telling us things we could probably have figure out for ourselves, Jimeoin goes microscopic in his detail, offering such delicate, precise conclusions invisible to the untrained eye.

He can be equally inspired or silly, sometimes both, such as when he mocks his own slapdash mime work or emulating the spin cycles of a washing machine. This is a fortysomething man just making noises on stage, proving him as hilarious without words as he is with them.

He delivers all this at the ‘speed of cheese’ – the slow-burn, pause-riddled rhythms you would expect from someone with so much time he can ponder these insignificant details in such depth. But although soft spoken, his delicate, devastatingly accurate comedy comes through loud and clear.

Review date: 25 Jul 2010
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett