Chinese Year of the Dragon, New Zealand Future of Comedy [by Matt Baker]
Last year, comedian Joseph Moore wanted to be a billionaire. The year prior, he was a Billy T nominee. 24 years before that, he was born. And how lucky we all are that he was. Moore is a brilliant young comedian. He’s funny, slightly awkward, and has a bright future in New Zealand comedy.
Moore’s musical knowledge and talent is a staple of both his material and his style. It’s continually impressive, and incorporated with genuine purpose in his shows as opposed to simply being there because he’s so good at it. He jokes about a particular job which utilises those skills, but it’s actually an incredibly apt position for a young stand up comedian with a hilariously topical Twitter feed, who writes for television, and loves music.
There are times when observational comedy simply moves along at a languid pace, which is fine. There are other times when some semblance of narrative is intertwined and the story-telling element of comedy emerges. Then there are times when not only the narrative, but also the individual components that made it up, come together for a sense of completion. Moore encapsulates the third, and it is incredibly gratifying, not to mention funny.
There are moments, however, where Moore misses opportunities to engage with audience members individually, especially when considering his observations seemed agreed upon by the entire crowd. It’s a minor matter, and could simply be due to new material requiring more focus, but it would certainly pique the audience that last ten percent. Regardless, there’s plenty of decade- and life-specific material to cover the diversity throughout the crowd, and Moore’s style of comedy in general has incredibly broad appeal. Perfect for anyone and everyone, really.
1989 plays as part of the NZ International Comedy Festival at Montecristo until 10 May. For details see the Comedy Festival.
SEE ALSO: Theatreview.org.nz review by Nik Smythe
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