Comedy Festival 2018: Angus Gordon dares to be different in Stand Up (Aquatic) ★★★½

ANGUS Gordon is not your average stand-up. Dark and wrong, but sometimes oh so right, especially for those not easily offended.

THIS show comes with the performer’s warning that it contains dark material. Sure enough, it does deliver on that front, but there’s also sweet moments of light and levity.

Angus Gordon, best newcomer of last year’s festival and one of the new breed of comics, is not your average comedian.

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Not for him is the classic stand-up format. Rather, Gordon heralds his first joke, has a chat, meets a few audience members then reads a couple of stories from notes. Strange but true.

Angus Gordon in Stand Up (Acquatic).

Not that the stories are all true but no matter. Strange they most certainly are.

Gordon goes to some peculiar and often challenging places. It’s not always easy listening but isn’t that what art/comedy/performance should be?

His first story riffed on performing stand-up at a pokies den and then somehow diverted into strange diet techniques. (Stomach condoms as a weight-loss method, anyone?)

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Gordon’s shtick often ignores traditional timing of joke-telling but those awkward moments set their own comedic agenda, and provide their own rewards.

The night’s second story revolves around an unusual relationship with his grandmother who is ... no, spoiler edit!

More power to Gordon for daring to be different. His shows deserve a wider audience.

Angus Gordon, Stand Up (Aquatic)

Chinese Museum, Cohen Pl, until April 22.

comedyfestival.com.au

Angus Gordon in Stand Up (Acquatic).