At the start of the show there’s a lot of emphasis on switching off and putting away our mobile phones. We get at least two announcements and then, as he arrives on stage, Barker spends a few moments ensuring the last few folks with digital screens lighting up their faces put their devices in a pocket. You see, Barker wants to talk. Face-to-face with no distractions and certainly no filming to watch it later because he’s done with future tech.
Excellent stand-up by an exceptional comedian.
We are then entertained by Barker’s furiously laid-back stand-up comedy as he extols the virtues of a cheap Tuesday audience, does a little good natured ripping on Adelaide and explains to us his feelings on being in the here and now vs the forward thinkers. It’s the smart, well-paced comedy with which Barker has earned his solid fanbase and the audience is willing to listen. Particular highlights include Barker’s own take on the life hack trend and the existential crisis of too much choice in entertainment.
It’s all delivered with inimitable style and charm by a comedian who’s clearly very comfortable with what he’s doing. His mic technique alone should be taught to newbies on how to work the crowd. He has a real skill with the mic; dropping the amplification to scream his thoughts and frustrations at the ceiling and using volume to colour the different voices and moments in his material. Excellent stand-up by an exceptional comedian.
