I entered the Underbelly with low expectations; I will admit to only being aware of Stirling as a children’s television presenter and could consequently not see past this. Luckily, all these pre-conceptions were entirely wrong; Stirling is in fact a talented, engaging and extremely amusing performer.
Stirling’s structure is to be commended, setting up his show with a wonderful anecdote ending in a presentation of a Cliff Richard calendar which goes on to form the journey of his stand up. This delivery made his audience comfortable and relaxed from the beginning.
Stirling’s biggest achievement is his ability to weave from one situation or musing from the other; his routine is slick and thought out and gained our attention from the word go. He offered his audience just the right mix of humour: there is some at the expense of family friends; some, naturally, at the expense of himself; some sarcastic tones; and of course a touch of the crude stuff, but none are too overbearing.
Not once did I find myself glaring down at my watch and not once was there an uncomfortable silence from his audience. Stirling is charms from start to finish and a likeable personality.
