“What the fuck is wrong with people?!”
So asks Stephen K Amos over and over in The Laughter Master, during an hour that sees the British comic charm the Athenaeum audience with his infectious happiness.
While his refrain may be repetitive, and perhaps a bit predictable for a comedian, Amos makes it work given his subject is the banality of the internet and social media. Let’s face it, we’ve all had our faith in humanity tested by the comments section of Facebook at some point.
Amos is all too happy to play up the generational divide when talking about social media. He is sympathetic to older audience members while mischievously grilling the younger people in the front rows, each producing hilarious results that even catch the seasoned comic off guard.
In these moments, and as he recounts some of his more outrageous social media experiences, you feel like you’re laughing with Amos rather than because of him, enhancing the buoyant mood in the room.
Elsewhere, the jibes at Australian culture and politics, racism, terrorism, toilet humor and tales from his childhood – all of which Amos excels at – return for The Laughter Master, meaning long-time fans will get what they come for in this year’s show.
The show trails off towards the end – the pauses between Amos’ monologues grow and you sense he’s ad-libbing when he tries to close out the show by recommending other comedians.
But ultimately, it is Amos’ relentlessly upbeat stage persona and slapstick delivery of punchlines that stick with you once the show finishes.
BY ALEXANDER DARLING
