Melbourne comedy festival review by Steve Bennett

Is this the end for one of comedy’s favourite deadbeats? Kyle Kinane has built a reputation on being a reckless nihilist, a man who abuses the fact that he has responsibilities to no one but himself to act immaturely or self-destructively, using that freedom to turn bleaker thoughts into happier stand-up. 

But now he tells us that he’s – gasp – content in a relationship, what can a self-described straight, white, wine-drinking guy whose life is going fine possibly bring to the table?

Well, quite a lot, thankfully, as his dumb facade hides an astute observer whose smarts are, refreshingly, filtered through no-nonsense blue-collar sensibilities rather than intellectual grandstanding.

He protests that he’s not a political comic, but there are issues here, not least gun control, as a drinker like him wryly observes that ‘open carry laws’ mean he can display a firearm but not an open bottle of wine. Yet even with this, he’s not on his soapbox, just amused by the stupidity of the situation.

It’s wine, incidentally, as his newly diagnosed gout means beer is off-limits. So not quite everything is going well for Kinane, even though he celebrates his condition as being a heck of a lot better than what else his foolhardy behaviour could have led to – a typically cheery take on what could be a darker situation. Speaking of medical matters, he takes that staple of middle-aged male comedy, the intimate check-up, and takes it in a different direction from the norm.

Despite his clear abilities, he has the ‘imposter syndrome’ that many comedians suffer, leading him to think how he might be transported, Freaky Friday style, into another life, namely that of a teppanyaki chef – a routine that’s a boon in foodie capital Melbourne, though the idea is over-extended.

It’s one of a small number of sections that didn’t quite fly as they might –  also include the dream sequences of his unconscious mind trying to make sense of his day’s events or his parents not fully understanding his job as a comedian. They’re still solid bits, but slow the momentum, and don’t quite work in concert with the bigger ideas that otherwise form a natural flow, one topic into the next. 

Though this isn’t quite as hot as show as previously, Kinane remains a robust comic, able to spin a truthful, subtle observation into an idea that catches fire –  and from a viewpoint that manages to be abstract while rooted in the universal. And doing that so naturally is quite a feat.

Review date: 14 Apr 2016
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett