Christophe Davidson: The Time Of Your Life
Live Review
Melbourne Royal British Legion

There are some excellent, inventive ideas in Canadian comic Christophe Davidson’s show… if not quite enough to go around.

He certainly starts strongly with an extended – possibly over-extended – set piece that requires him to say not a word. Instead, like the Boy With Tape On His Face, he persuades an audience member to help him out, with unexpected and witty results.

Not that he humiliates his reluctant aide; he’s far too nice a guy for that. His mild-mannered sensitivity – something of clichéd Canadian trait – is an underlying theme, with topics such as male appearance insecurities on his easy-going agenda.

Much of the 45 minutes comes across as friendly conversation, but it’s usually underpinned with some sharp ideas and topped off with neatly-constructed punchlines. Even an old idea such as the insanity that deportation to the tropical island paradise of Australia could ever have been considered a punishment back in the dreary UK is followed by an astute analogy that exploits the Sydney-Melbourne rivalry to his advantage.

The stand-up generally bubbles along at an amiable pace, tickling his like-minded audience rather than challenging them. But it’s the moments that break this straightforward approach that are the most memorable.

His ‘comedy newsflash’ breakouts provide nice deconstructionist postscripts to some of the gags, even though the device is overused. Similarly his ‘pigeon facts’ sections break up the monologue, even though they are subject to diminishing returns. Even less obviously signposted moments, such as his plaintive cries of ‘why?’ indicate a comedian trying to mix things up a little.

However The Time Of Your Life doesn’t yet feel like the finished article, but a work in progress where the main tentpoles are in place, but there are still plenty of creases in the canvas.

Certainly he knows the value of a strong ending, though, with a neat climax that ties up some of the threads of the hour and leaves the audience with a lasting impression – and smile on their face.