Alfie Packham is not the sort of comedian to shout at you to get his point across or deliver his lines with a maniacal energy, he likes to take his time, give his jokes some air and relax around his audience. It’s almost as if you’re with your friends and you’re watching the jester among you go to work, tell his fable; he creates a refreshingly relaxed and light-hearted environment.
He comes out with some early trepidation, working out the crowd before he knows how to proceed, but he eventually settles into a conversational, personal tone that you can’t help but feel endeared by; he’ll break off into chat with crowd members and play off them in comical asides, seeming genuinely interested in what they have to say. There are a few occasions where he doesn’t seem to quite know how to respond to something, but these instances are brushed off fairly quickly and the show moves on. Some of his quips also feel slightly trite and fall flat towards the middle.
The show’s finest moments, however, come towards the end, when Packham shifts gear into the personal and heartfelt. He opens up about a tragedy which befell him, but somehow maintains an affable tone as he reminisces with a cheerful humour. He also reveals himself as a skilful storyteller and, as he meanders through his little anecdotes, he displays a warmth of feeling that is liable to make your heart melt. Although there are a few hiccups, this one is worth it simply for the glee and hope you’ll feel leaving the venue.
Alfie Packham: My Gift To You, 14.45 Underbelly
