JIMEOIN - LOVELY, March 28 to April 15, 2012 ****

FIRST NIGHT COMEDY REVIEW
JIMEOIN - LOVELY
Athenaeum Theatre until April 15

Melbourne Comedy Festival
Reviewer: Kate Herbert on March 29, 2012

Stars:****

Deliciously whimsical, charming humour, like whiskey and a fireside chat.

JIMEOIN is one of my faves. With his impish grin, charming observational humour and delicious accent, this whimsical comic is as comforting as a tumbler of whiskey by the fire.

His new show, Lovely, is a bit of Irish craic (fun) with Jimeoin chattering about absurd things that take his fancy. His relaxed demeanour and gentle rhythm and pace are a welcome relief from the nervous energy of some rabid comics.

His delivery is treacle slow and his cheerful and rambling musings on everyday topics include the catastrophe that is his family life, hotel revolving doors, the faces we pull at bad smells, gay gangster rappers and the infinite variety of laughs.

Jimeoin is all fluid movement as he prowls the stage, generating huge laughs with a simple wink, eyebrow raise, wicked grin or a ridiculously long pause.

He is naughty about his wife, teasing about a bloke’s pink jumper and rude about toilets, but we forgive him because of his charm. He is simply lovely.

He tests new jokes on us, reading them from his little book and giving them a big tick if they get a laugh, then he ends on a cunning satire of pretentious rock singers.

Catch him while he is on stage in Melbourne and not touring, on TV, or fishing on some remote river – or getting stuck in a slow, revolving door.

By Kate Herbert

Newsy tip: He plays a mean guitar too!

Funny line: “I know you’re here for a laugh ‘cos you’ve all got your teeth out,”