He’s a Poser and he knows it. An hour alone with the in-your-face Joel Creasey proves how badly he wants fame. But he’s not just a fabulous mouth, he’s a hard-working act at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
This very funny, non-stop cavalcade of words and inappropriate moments rolls out in his one-man show. Nothing’s off-territory with Joel.
He knows he’s cute — he’s spent enough time on Grindr. Joel says exactly what he’s thinking — whether it be a guilty reflection/curious request/awkward displeasure. He gives voice to our bitchy inner monologue.
A slideshow of Joel-moments greets us before the blonde one bounces on stage. His show tracks his advent from try-hard child to successful mainstream comedian. He’s been working night after night at the packed downstairs venue of a sleazy bar. It’s a good setting for his tales of indiscretions, which he shares with us as a daily-diary of decadence. Joel talks sex like some wear underpants – it’s just part of everyday life. With his parents in the audience, cringeworthy moments abounded, but Joel ran at them like an army trainee at boot camp.
This boy-child is now at the top of an arc that sees him close to the throne of national comedy stardom. About to co-host SBS TV’s 2017 Eurovision Song Contest, and a regular on Channel 10’s The Project, Joel tells us about his earliest days as a standup comedian, and as warmup act for Joan Rivers. Many gay performers dream of being introduced on stage by American greats such as Rivers and Carrie Fisher but Joel has really lived this, and he shares it with us, touchingly.
He’s perfectly ready to be our next biggest national comedian but he has been paying his dues for years. As good as he comes across on tv, it’s so nice having his attention directed to us alone, on stage — a reason you need to see him live. He can lay his comedic eye on any topic, with his laser-like intellect cutting anything down to size. Still, he has a heart of gold.
Joel is outspoken and audacious, and yanks our funny bone ’til it falls off.
– Sarah
Sarah W. is a dance-trained theatre lover with a flair for the bold and non-traditional performance platforms. On the street or in the box seat, she looks for quality works that push the envelope.
Poser runs 30 March–23 April, 8.15pm, Tues- Sunday (60 mins) at Max Watts. Purchase tickets now. The venue is accessible.
Read The Plus Ones’ guide to MICF 2017, and visit often to see all our reviews.
