Joel Creasey’s Late Show is a ninety-minute comedy extravaganza set amongst the comfy mismatched couches in the “rape dungeon” of Melbourne’s Soft Belly Bar. While it’s a guaranteed hit for most, the easily offended might be better off giving it a miss.
Beginning with a reminder that “it’s not racist if you laugh,” acting MC Joel Creasey gets the laughs rolling before introducing the nights line up of special guests. On September 30 these included comedians Greg Fleet, Adam Richard, Simon Palomares, George McEncroe, Karl Chandler, Tommy Dassalo and X-Factor singer Hayley Teal. The guests change every night so you’re always in for a surprise.
There was a good variety in comedic style – some clearly more popular than others. Chandler rattled off a string of isolated jokes, Richards raised the roof with his parody of X-Factor contestants and everyone enjoyed their “piece of the Fleety magic”. The only real let down was Dassalo with stories that dragged on before they reached the punch lines – some of which were funny, but most fell flat. Luckily Palomares and McEncroe were able to escape from their children long enough to thrill us with vivid impersonations of fourteen year-old emos and their “fuckwit friendships”.
The most surprising part of the show was the concluding performance by X-Factor contestant Hayley Teal. Sitting down because she was “too lazy to stand up,” Teal delivered a pub worthy performance (validating everything Adam Richard had just made fun of) to an audience that couldn’t really understand why she was part of the show. Lacking any comedic entertainment her performance seemed more suited to the main Soft Belly Bar than inside the crowded room of comedy-lovers.
Despite the bizarre choice of ending, the show was a great success with plenty of guffawing laughs from the audience, cheap drinks from a well stocked bar and a host that everyone wanted just a little bit more from. Chandler observed that “people just want to hear about a bargain” and at only $25 a ticket you will most certainly find one in Joel Creasey’s Late Show. It is an absolute must-see.
