Guy Williams You Can Sense the Desperation Review

Unlike Guy’s description of The New Zealand Herald fighting TV3, two naked old men grappling one another into submission, You Can Sense the Desperation doesn’t aim to upstage the trove of other comedic gigs at the year’s comedy festival. Instead, Guy’s show implores fans to sit back, kick off their loafers and keep it real.

It is more a casual, laid back ramble with a familiar old friend than a hopped up, in-yo-face gag bashing. Impressively, Guy also works on The Edge radio station and The Jono and Ben Show, and has honed his wit and topical references on the New Zealand populace who have been his willing Guinea pigs on a weekly basis.

While there doesn’t seem to be any method to his madness, the show is held together by the cohesive entity that is Guy Williams. This performance is the epitome of Guy. It is his Guy-ness. He literally dominates the stage with his size so much so that those in the front rows may have neck pain the next day. The fact that he even hung around for a meet and greet after the show was a bonus, and only added to the intimacy of the act overall.

At the end of the day, we got to know the guy behind Guy. Jibes at Brian Tamaki, Nelson’s brooding undercurrent of racism and a story about some shaggy beef head named Mutt – yes! Mutt! , form integral, quality content from which Guy draws the biggest audience laughs. It’s true that cats belittle and demean their owners with looks of disapproving flaccidity, and Guy’s impersonation of said cat is the show’s high point. If only it had stuck around longer and got to know the poor audience member’s lap a little longer.

Witty, blatantly honest and with jokes you remember hearing from that weird classmate in high school, Guy Williams proves his comedic worth yet again and further solidifies his position as New Zealand’s voice of reason.

Despite the title, desperation is something strangely absent from Guy’s onstage outing and altogether the gig comes off as an amusing treat for both fans, reviewers and possibly cats?

Reviewed by Nicholas Brookland

Guy Williams: You Can Sense the Desperation is on at the Montecristo until Sat 16 May, 8.30pm (No shows Sunday, Monday or Thursday).

4 stars -

 

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