Stepping into perhaps the smallest venue of the entire Melbourne International Comedy Festival, it wasn’t long until a sense of wonder spread across the audience as we waited for Sam Taunton. A rising star in the local Melbourne scene, the young Channel V presenter has already snatched up a spot as a Triple J RAW Comedy finalist (2015) and continues to impress with his fresh, comedic wit.
Welcoming us to his brand new show, Taunt Down For What, Taunton started his show by having a chat with three girls from Darwin in the front row. Taking the piss out of the new-to-Melbourne punters, it wasn’t long until the topic turned to our brilliantly changing weather. Between “grey skies and suicides” and outdoor Summer hand-jobs, the locally-sourced talent revelled in the effects of ever-changing temperatures.
To begin, Taunton talked Australian norms, cabbies, voting booths and airports.
Pointing out the absurd nature of some of our countries inhabitants’ behaviour, the comic used recent travelling experiences surrounding his trip to Kalgoorlie for the Melbourne Comedy Roadshow. Moreover, Taunton’s take on his day-to-day observations while on holiday in Malaysia had the whole venue cracking up. From the bus driver turned pilot to some oversized baggage choices on a Jetstar flight, inspiration seems to stem from thin air for Taunton.
Describing his current place of residence as an “inner-city crack den”, Taunton tells the tale of a typical young adult living in Melbourne. Between trips to the laundry mat for sheets day to dying for a working dishwasher, Taunton proved to be incredibly relatable and endlessly enjoyable. Speaking about the hardships of house hunting, he had the entire cheap Tuesday audience in the palm of his hands. A “good Greek boy”, seeing Taunton do his thing is just like listening to a much funnier version of your best mate out on the town.
Closing his show with the perfect personal touch, Taunton revealed his greatest secret – that he was once quite the musician. Playing us a song he created at the age of 15 for the ‘love of his life’, the stories surrounding their encounters were both embarrassing and excruciatingly comical.
Put simply, for those that enjoy their comedy the way they like their dates – cheap and tawdry, get down to see Taunton turn up immediately.
By Phoebe Robertson.
