Through Kane’s discussion of procreation, something great is indeed born, and that is great comedy. Who knew that Russell Kane’s personal quest for love and fatherhood would take the form of such an acute and hilarious social commentary. Kane at one point complains that comics who do observational comedy have an easier time than him and get more laughs, but I, for one, am thankful that Kane opts for this more difficult genre, because he does it well. Judging by the enthusiasm and regularity of laughing and clapping, the audience was equally enthralled.
One feels that while Kane so aptly mocks various people and groups in society, he is also rather endeared to them. His light-hearted musings on some valid and invalid distinctions between middle and working class fathers, between men and women, and between good children and bad children, hint at a tender, as well as comedic, understanding of human nature. Although Russell is mostly seen as the eye-lined, quiff-haired, skinny-jeaned voice of today’s youth, this set is very much an eclectic one, and can be enjoyed by those in every class and of every age.
Russell’s style is zany, extremely camp and rapid. Consequently, in some of his especially enthused moments, small comments or punch-lines were missed. This was a real shame, as most of us were desperate to catch every little gobbet of comedy which Kane had to offer. Luckily though, where hearing failed, vision prevailed: Kane is quite the on-stage spectacle, relentlessly flouncing around in various stretches and ballet postures, scrunching himself up during anecdotes and going cross-eyed in moments of incredulity. He also launches into quite impressive faux-vomiting when disgusted - which was often. Kane critiqued himself when he said, ‘I may not be the most original of comics, but there is no end to my energy.’ Few would describe his material as unoriginal, but many would agree that his energy on stage is awe-inspiring. There is a high possibility that, in his one hour slot, the number of times he bounded from one end of the stage to the other, amounted to about sixty.
It would be not be unfair to say that many women in the audience, and men, would be honoured to have Russell’s babies. This is quite frankly, perfect father material.
