Arj Barker packs out the Town Hall on the night that I see him, and he’s likely to do this for the next 20 shows that he has over the festival. He’ll do this because he’s that good. While you wouldn’t want to call someone with goofy hair and childish mannerisms a ‘veteran of the trade’ there’s no way around it.
Despite his appearance, he has over 25 years experience as a comedian and it shows in his highly polished yet low key delivery. Bouncing onto the stage he warms the crowd easily with polished conversational throw outs before getting into his bread and butter – silly social observations and heartfelt advice.
Despite his overarching silliness, Barker dips into the heavy stuff and smears it uncomfortably over the audience on frequent occasions, leaving it about as far as you can before saving it with a cutting punchline. Thematically, it’s a lackadaisical stroll through your usual comedy shop of subjects before taking a turn down the darker aisle. But after dealing with terrorism, politics and self realisation he’ll flick back and mention the skills needed to win a boner competition. It takes a real skill to think some intelligent jokes through and actually make a bit of a point along the way. Yet it’s Barker’s ability to deliver this so improbably with a mix of toilet humour and dumb banter that really impresses.
Arj Barker delivers the goods and deserves to be the one of the biggest names of the whole MICF. He is charming, silly and unpretentious but don’t ask him how he stays looking so young.
BY JUSTIN WATTS
