Ivan Aristeguieta - The Fourth Floor

The highs and lows of getting older, the unexpected adjustments that come with moving from the Third World to the First - and cheese toasties.

Loveable Venezuelan-Australian Ivan Aristeguieta's new show The Fourth Floor sees the comedian getting a little sentimental in the lead-up to his 40th birthday. Reflecting on the small wisdoms that dawn on you with the approach of middle-age, Aristeguieta shared observations on his life six years on from moving to Australia and starting to perform stand-up in a second language. 

It's a rare man that can radiate boundless optimism without prescribing to the ignorance of toxic positivity - and a rarer man that can make boob jokes without making women feel deeply uncomfortable. Aristeguieta accomplished both with a relentlessly charismatic, cheeky charm.

His stories are deceptively light in tone, yet there is a more meaningful undercurrent. He is speaking from the place of a migrant adjusting to the comforts of a First World country after a lifetime of the commonplace traumas and bizarreness of living in a Third World country. 

From self-deprecation to commentary on the everyday, there's a cutting edge of social commentary, slightly tinged with the political, that strikes a chord with everyone in the audience.

Bringing a unique perspective to the Australian comedy scene, Aristeguieta is a comedian so aware of himself and the culture of his adopted homeland, he is able to easily criticise what Australia thinks is normal and pull apart the peculiarities of the national lexicon. He'll soon have you on board with his cheese toastie theory of life.

Additionally, he pulls off an impression of the Aussie accent that is adorably cutting. Get it up ya!

Performed as part of Sydney Comedy Festival