Eli Matthewson – Proposition: Great! – Review
REVIEWED BY INGRID GRENAR
Lots of male comedians spend their time on stage talking about their failures with women, and trying to get them in to bed. Eli talks about the exact opposite, how to avoid sleeping with a member of the opposite sex.
Announcing at the start of the show that he is gay this Billy T Nominee starts his autobiographical tale. He is so instantly likable and performs with friendly warmth to his audience.
Proposition: Great! explores his adolescence’s and night clubbing escapades in Christchurch. After eventually taking the hint from a computer game he finally comes out aged 21.
Showing off all his drama school skills he throws in acting and singing into the mix. The rest of the show is essentially a love letter. A love letter to his boyfriend, himself and all of us. The message of this show is be yourself and love who you are. That’s a pretty good message to walk out of a comedy show with.
Eli gives an honest and open performance with some wonderful anecdotes of uncomfortable sexuality, stereotypes and prejudice. Including his own.
The theme works well but I felt that the second half of the show is where it really took off and where the material felt truly genuine. This is a heart on your sleeve piece and it works really well with such a talented story teller who you really do feel you get to know. This is his first stand up show so I really expect him to grow during its run.
Following Proposition: Great! you may love the world a little more but I’m sure you will have fallen head over heels for Eli.
Proposition: Great! is on at The Basement Studio at 7.15pm every night until 18 May
Listen to Eli on our Comedy Podcast.