Playing at Storyville until April 19 (excluding Monday) until April 19. Tickets and more information at comedyfestival.com.au/chris-demos/
For his fourth Melbourne International Comedy Festival show, Chris Demos has concocted a winning, effortlessly charming hour chronicling his life as an eternal night owl, the title being a play on the classic phrase of “ships in the night”, although (as Demos points out) it was hilariously misspelt on the venue’s poster as “Chip in the Night”, which Demos lamenting that it now kind of renders the title nonsensical.
Demos has an easy-going stage presence and is truly a great storyteller, and is able to keep the momentum of his show very high throughout as he takes us through such stories such as calling his GP mum for some interesting medical advice, how his Greek heritage has impacted his life and his interesting experiences using dating apps.
But the main throughline of the show is Demos’ obsession with late night reality shows, such as Below Deck and My Lottery Dream Home, as well as the oddball characters who populate these shows. Demos gets great mileage out of simultaneously mocking and fanboying over these trashy shows, and giving the audience a very clear crash course into what goes on in these programmes, which was very welcome for me as someone who has never seen them.
The warm and cozy Storyville venue is the perfect venue for a good-natured, laidback comedian like Demos, and he was welcomed by an enthusiastic and very receptive crowd.
While Demos’ comedic targets are familiar, he has a warmth and affability which is his greatest strength, with the show having an easygoing, conversational vibe, and the intimate venue making the show feel like having a chat with a mate at home rather than being at a comedy gig.
While this is his fourth solo show, Demos is still very young and will no doubt be a staple on Melbourne’s comedy scene for a while yet, and I can’t wait to see him on stage again soon.
3.5/5 Stars
TINSEL and TAP SHOES 