Nick Cody: On Fire (MICF)

There's always gonna be an appreciative audience for a good pub raconteur, which I guess explains the popularity and success of Nick Cody, a wholly affable Aussie stand-up who seems to be making a name for himself here and abroad (he did the festival rounds in Europe and appeared on Conan O'Brien's show in the US).

Personally speaking, I don't get it - if I was throwing down my hard-earned at the Comedy Festival, I'd want something with a little more ingenuity and energy than a self-described "loose unit" reeling off anecdotes about excessive indulgence and the consequences thereof or taking pot shots at side-of-the-barn targets like vegans and flash mobs (yes, flash mobs).

But just because Cody's not my particular brand of whimsy doesn't mean he lacks appeal. At his new show On Fire - which doesn't have much structure beyond the burly, red-bearded 29-year-old dropping the aforementioned anecdotes and recalling a busy year that saw him get married and perform his act internationally - he displays a confident, gregarious stage presence and the capacity for the odd sharp one-liner.

However, there's nothing particularly memorable about this show - it's akin to having a few laughs at a barbie courtesy of that knockabout friend of a friend who has a few funny stories to share. Anyone in search of something a little more complex or innovative should look elsewhere.

Nick Cody presents On Fire, till April 23 at Melbourne Town Hall, part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival