Melbourne International Comedy Festival review

Nath Valvo is unlikely to win plaudits for pushing the envelope, but his relatable material, gleeful self-deprecation and spirited performance delivers the laughs at quite the rate.

The tongue-in-cheek message underpinning Back In The Habit is that your dreams will never be realised, so lower your expectations and learn to be happy with that.

Motivational in a perverse kind of way, it’s a philosophy he embraces passionately. He’s even got a jingle. He’s lived what he preaches, too, with his youthful dreams of being a movie star so far amounting to no more than being a non-speaking – non-moving, even – extra on Neighbours.

Though it’s hard to think of this confident figure holding a sizeable room full of people in the palm of his hand with his charm and charisma as having fallen short, success is all relative.

We might see him landing a hot, smart boyfriend who worked in the forefront of Covid research as a win, but for him it only exacerbates his insecurities about his own achievements. And he’s even got TV footage as evidence of how he might not be measuring up. Is jealousy why he’s fostered a visceral hatred for his partner’s favourite mug, expressed here in a wonderful and memorable display of petty anger?

Gossipy and occasionally bitchy - as much against himself as others – he talks with verve and pace. The exaggerated physically is a bit forced – striking clearly rehearsed poses as he forms the punchlines – but it’s all in the service of making the show as dynamic as possible.

There are a few wider observational asides on the likes of dads being on TikTok, which hits the mark skilfully, but largely this is a show all about himself. It is, after all, his favourite subject,

The romp through embarrassing old photographs, thwarted ambition and the circumstances that see him still renting at 38 covers familiar territory. But when told with such wit – and especially such verve – that matters very little.

• Nath Valvo: Back In The Habit is at Max Watts at 7.45pm (6.45pm) on Sundays until April 24, not Mondays

Review date: 6 Apr 2022
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett
Reviewed at: Melbourne International Comedy Festival