Melbourne International Comedy Festival review

There’s probably no other word to capture his vivacious Gen Z attitude but ‘slay’. Bursting with animated energy and a palpable zest to connect with his audience, festival newcomer Will Gibb is a captivating presence. He’s open about his life, and a wee bit flirty in his many effortless interactions with his young crowd, forging a strong connection with them.

The 26-year-old – well-established on social media and known for co-hosting the oversharing You Wouldn't podcast – is also keenly aware of his own ridiculousness, which is what drives the best of his stand-up.

At the core of this show is the teenage diary he kept during a six-month outdoorsy camp in a place called Glengarry (part of one of the most elite private boys’ schools in Sydney, he omits to mention). Full of pretentiously flowery language – ‘What a prick!’ is his verdict now –  and overblown angst at the mildest of inconveniences, it’s a goldmine of raw material for the self-deprecating comic.

The show’s not as consistently strong as this – and it does run out of steam before the hour’s up – but there are plenty of highlights, such as brands’ pained efforts to tap into queer culture during Pride Month and an amusing take on the familiar concern that he’s accomplished nothing compared to what his grandfather had done by 26, including fighting in a war.

Gibb certainly isn’t great at adulting and still retains a childish sense of humour, with dumb exaggerations about the size of his biceps – and his dick – part of this debut show.

He also has a penchant for darker material, some of which is funny and justified – his dislike of the euphemistic ‘passing away’, for example – but can also be too harsh, including a gratuitous paedophilia joke, showing a rookie mistake of valuing shock over context.

Mind you, his inexperience here is as nothing to the cringe-inducing Zoom audition he did for a panel show, related in hindsight with horror at his crassness.  

That he didn’t get that job is probably TV’s loss, as he seems like a showbiz natural. His delivery is always animated, with hugely effective act-outs, such as contrasting the intensity and drama of a gambling ad with the meekness of the disclaimer about how it could ruin your life.

But one gamble probably worth taking is spending an hour in the thoroughly engaging company of this promising comic.

Review date: 3 Apr 2025
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett
Reviewed at: Melbourne International Comedy Festival