By Alanta Colley
We’re really not sure what we’ve signed up for as we sit down to Bosco’s show; the performer ensconced in a makeshift robot costume enacting Rosie the Shit Eating Robot. Gradually Simon the performer emerged and things got a little more, though not entirely, conventional.
It felt very much like we were witnessing a manic breakdown; Bosco’s themes swerving violently about the place in expressions of anger to depression to child-like playfulness to something akin to but not quite joy. Bosco’s life is awash with fear; a clammy hypochondria, fear of death, and fear of other people. These stark fears are enveloped in hatred, disappointment, and a harsh eye surveying the shortcomings of society and his environs. This is not light-hearted or whimsical entertainment
.
There are some straight up punch in the face hilarious lines in this show. You absolutely cannot see them coming. There are some darkly poetic endings to his narratives. Occasionally squawks of recognition as we see reflections of ourselves in some of Bosco’s unflattering revelations about his life and its many limitations. The overall theme of the show can be summarised in a single one of his sentences: ‘I hate me. A lot’. Bosco isn’t afraid to bare all. We are greeted with his chest hair and subjected to costume changes as well as receiving graphic explanations of his bed wetting days as a child. Humiliating revelations of guilt and regret are aplenty. The show also contains degrees of experimentation – for example, how could you enact comedy if you weren’t allowed to use words? There’s more than a smattering of non-sequiters and a dramatic amount of audience participation required, some of which are thoroughly enjoyable.
The sound was painfully loud; and coupled with the high energy and occasionally yelly performance the effect was a bit easy to resent. But despite my reservations there was plenty of rich and original material here. This is comedy for the more adventurous lovers of raw and raucous stand up.
Sargasm is on at the Caz Reitops Dirty Secrets until April 13
http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2014/season/shows/sargasm-simon-bosco