I've always been very fond of comedians, I mean, their job is to make us laugh. So when I was invited to Marty Bright's Jokin and Spokin event for the Wollongong Comedy Festival, I had to say yes.
My mates and I arrived at Society City on Crown Street to find a warm and inviting space that defied our expectations of a comedy venue. However, the moment the show started, it effortlessly embraced the essence of comedy.
Marty Bright started off strong, not just with good jokes but with impeccable crowd engagement and showmanship.
One thing that makes a good comedian, in my opinion, is when they can go off script and improvise in response to the audience's reactions. This relaxed the crowd and led to a comfortable connection between crowd and stage.
"This was my first time seeing live stand-up comedy and I can say that it was an amazing and unique experience," said Sebastian Melki, a fellow university student who I brought along.
"There is no other art which requires such a high level of spontaneousness and crowd engagement, something which I felt Marty has truly mastered."
The event also showcased local comedians Adara Enthaler and Di Barkas, who added a distinctive touch by performing comedic poems. This unique element hooked the audience with the poems' rhythm and flow offering a refreshing departure from traditional comedy routines.
Marty then amazed the audience by demonstrating his versatility as a performer. He began with a captivating poem that skilfully blended funny moments with a rapid-fire, mesmerising flow of rhymes, capturing my attention.
It didn't stop there though, with Marty pulling out the ukulele to end off the show. This was a surprise, but once he started I could see why the instrument was added. Every strum kept my eyes glued to the stage yet created a relaxing environment.
Sebastian's verdict: "The poetic and musical aspect of this performance was something I was not expecting but it was a clear stand-out that contributed to the uniqueness of the act and kept the audience immersed in the show.
"The use of music and poetry was not only employed as an additional medium to create humour, but was also used to discuss deeper and more emotional concepts."
Overall, the experience exceeded my expectations. I presumed it would be a night filled with laughs – which it was – but I didn't expect the smooth, flowing poems and thought-provoking music to draw me in the way they did.
Read more about Wollongong comedy in our interview with festival director Riley Jones. For tickets and more information, visit wollongongcomedyfestival.com.
If you want to see Marty Bright, check him out on July 27 in Kiama at Filmore's and keep an eye on our event calendar for more updates.
