Ron Funches – Live

With the energy plateaued after a lacklustre opening act, US superstar Ron Funches already has his work cut out for him the moment he steps on stage. Perhaps the devilish jetlag has yet to be exorcised from his system, but even for his uniquely leisurely delivery, something is a little off about Funches tonight.

While the performance definitely has pockets of that inimitable Funches charm, the whole show is up and down. A “best of” style performance is an often enjoyable one, especially in the case of a known name making their debut in another country, but Funches falls into the trap of a disconnected narrative. Nothing really clicks together throughout the set, and while individual moments are downright hilarious, the entire show feels disjointed and underdeveloped. Instead of meticulously weaving comedic vignettes together, Funches has just thrown the bits together to fill in the hour. His jokes are definitely funny, but it makes paying full attention to the show a rather difficult task.

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The times in which Funches clocks into something good show off just why he is one of the fastest-rising names is comedy. His musings on single parenthood are both riotous and inspiring, and offer another side to the performer beyond his giggly teddy bear persona. That trademark high-pitched drawl consistently lulls punters into a false sense of security before Funches hits them with some very un-PG material, and yet no one ever wises up to his cheeky game. It’s a rather astounding skill to see play out in real time, and one that Funches has honed to perfection over the years. It may not be the strongest example of his comedy, but tonight sees the comic raise his platform as one of the smartest and most considered minds when it comes to delivery and tone.

Unfortunately, this show is about as perfectly average as comedy gets. It’s by no means a failure, but it certainly doesn’t showcase Funches as the powerhouse he has proven himself to be in the past. Diehards will be happy with the opportunity to see the legend in the making live, but any expectations that come with such a title sadly need to be left at the door in order to make the show wholly enjoyable.