David O’Doherty – Big Time

By Elyce Phillips
DOD Big Time

The world has become a bit crap lately, but David O’Doherty wants to save us all. One big show to fix everything and make it all okay again. Well, Big Time may not solve the many problems that surround us, but it will certainly make you laugh and help you feel better about the state of things, even if it’s just for a moment.

O’Doherty is an MICF staple and is always a reliable go-to for clever quips and silly songs. This year is no different. The little keyboard is here, as always, but Big Time is more stand-up than song. We hear stories about O’Doherty’s misadventures as a Twitter influencer, going shopping with his niece and dealing with hecklers at children’s book readings. The musical interludes are quirky and occasionally a little dark, covering topics from the great minds of the world to specific apologies to one woman he wronged while in Melbourne last year.

Running throughout the show are themes of chaos and perspective. We all get caught up in our own dilemmas and they feel like the end of the world, but then you take a step back and suddenly things don’t feel so bad. It’s the sort of theme that could easily drift into the maudlin or the sappy, but O’Doherty navigates the territory deftly. He’s a talented stand-up that can venture into risky territory and still keep the audience onside. The songs acted as a perfect punctuation, pushing the show from great stand-up into something just that bit extra.

Big Time is a tonne of fun for both fans and newcomers. O’Doherty is an absolute delight. There’s a good reason he keeps packing out big venues year after year.

David O’Doherty – Big Time is on at The Forum Upstairs until April 23
https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2017/shows/david-o-doherty