Comedy Festival 2018: Jeff Green’s jumps between midlife crises in 30 ★★★

JEFF Green vibrates with energy, and his observational, conversational, sliced-from-daily-life comedy is lightweight and accessible.

JEFF Green, 54-year-old former chemical engineer turned stand-up comedian, is a bundle of nervous energy, pacing the tiny Swiss Club stage like a caged tiger, albeit wearing a blue shirt and red-tie.

Green is genial, likeable, and charming, and his 60-minutes of observational, conversational, sliced-from-daily-life comedy is lightweight and should be accessible to most audiences. His 30 years of experience as a stand-up explain his current show title, “30”.

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His workman-like routine often leaps disconcertingly from familiar subject to familiar subject: Facebook; married life; the perils of $2 shops; the temptations of hotel mini bars; having children later in life (his two are “Lucifer” and “Voldemort”); health scares; midlife crises; and times it’s not suitable to be a comedian.

Jeff Green routine often leaps disconcertingly from familiar subject to familiar subject in 30. Picture: Supplied

The highlights of Green’s routine comprise three witty poems: “50” is about the downsides of being in that age cohort; the second poem deals with cats; while “The Lucky Country” is festooned with references to Australia’s cultural icons. Green has lived in Melbourne the past 10 years with his Australian wife.

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In the ’80s and ’90s, Green confesses his life and career went off the rails because of a cocaine habit, and he doesn’t drink because of alcoholism in his family. However, Green discards far too readily these significant life events and circumstances and, disappointingly, does not shape them further into comic material.

Green’s routine, although diverting, screams out for fresher, more daring material, and for some serious comedy meat on otherwise bare bones.

Jeff Green, 30.

Swiss Club, 89 Flinders Lane, Melbourne; Melbourne Town Hall, Corner Swanston St and Collins St, from March 29, 2018 to April 22.

comedyfestival.com.au