This was published 9 years ago
Melbourne International Comedy Festival review: Nath Valvo's Tongue in Cheek his best show yet
Updated ,first published
COMEDY FESTIVAL
NATH VALVO – TONGUE IN CHEEK ★★★★½
Portico Room, Melbourne Town Hall, until April 17
Tongue in Cheek is Nath Valvo's best show yet. The guy is on a rocket. Like other great comedians, he makes hard work look charmingly easy. He also wraps sharp social commentary into his jokes – but, mercifully, never at the joke's expense. Nobody wants a lecture in lieu of LOLs. And he certainly made us LOL.
Whatever he tackles – daft dads, interminable weddings – he does it better than most. Important Lessons are left dangling, or buried in politically incorrect gags. Their full impact takes a moment to land, by which time you're laughing at something else. It works beautifully.
Some reviewers have suggested he's not everyone's cup of tea. Subtext: explicit gay humour alert! Funny how we don't fret over straight guys' dick jokes in the same way. What matters is that he's relentlessly funny. Go see him.
Michael Lallo is a senior culture writer at The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.