Comedy Festival 2018: Stuart Daulman relives his life and times in Death of a Daulman ★★★★

NEVER a dullman, this was the life and times of Stuart Daulman (full disclosure: still alive).

MUCH like Zoe Coombs Marr’s Trigger Warning, this may be Stuart Daulman’s magnum opus.

The burgeoning Australian comic (Hamish and Andy’s True Story, Edge of the Bush, Fancy Boy) brings us an audacious concept: his funeral.

The affable, local chameleon hosts his own passing with the help of Pastor John (who deserves a Best Supporting Actor nomination) and a bunch of integral, irreverent figures in his life who have shaped the man, the myth the actually-still-living-so-therefore-technically-not-a legend.

DEMI LARDNER: POCKET ROCKET ON A MANIC RIDE

WHAT DOES SAMMY J REALLY THINK OF RANDY’S SHOW?

Helen Keller quotes and an elaborate, reverent (including aforementioned faux reverend) opening sermon from Pastor John set the scene for this pacy hour of fictitious Daulman memories.

Things start well but not spectacularly (the Norferen UK accent needs hi-res definition) with his fitbah mate who names all the “bittir players thun Stuuuu: Stevie Gerrard” he begins, then goes on, and on, naming Premier League multimillionaires without ever dragging his pointy boot-stops. His “soooo-cah pul” acknowledged Daulman’s comedy career as “Proper weird starrrrf” as the crowd roared their approval.

Stuart Daulman in Death of a Daulman.

Further turns from Justin “The Dustbin” Murray showed off another Coombs Marr similarlity with her skeezy Dave character. Luckily the trope is rich for mining and Daulman’s deliberate clangers are followed by a beat then “That killed in Perth.”

Which killed in Melbourne.

The singing/air-drumming interludes went over beautifully (please fix that right speaker though, Coldplay’s ironic celebration deserved a two pronged stereo attack, both Gwyneth and Apple). Daulman’s costume changes locked into place nicely, especially his Jo-Burg grandma and her silvery shimmering wig, as she applauded the way “The zebras and the wildebeests grazed together so naaah-sly.”

THESE POOCHES GET THE PUNCHLINES

ARJ BARKER FED UP WITH USELESS LIFE HACKS

Unexpectedly, Death of a Daulman packed a weepy pathos, like when villain Australian cricketers cry on national TV and we can’t help feeling a naive kidult sympathy for them, to bastardise a quote from Patrick White.

If Stuart is somehow reading this from the grave, don’t worry about the coughin’, worry about the coffin they drag you off in.

Rest In Peace.

We’ll look after your goldfish.

Stuart Daulman, Death of a Daulman

Victoria Hotel, 215 Lt Collins St, until April 22.

comedyfestival.com.au