In what seems like an awfully quick one hour, Tom Gleeson takes us on a rollicking ride of personal stories – everything from moving into a former morgue in Romsey, Victoria, to stories about the village oddball who knocks on people’s doors late at night announcing “Where’s Jeff?” (you have to see the show to ‘get it’). Gleeson has us wrapped around his animated little finger from the word go.

The hysterical, slap-your-knee, throw-your-head-back with laughter climax is when Gleeson snarls and yells with a bright red face of frustration, the true story of the skin cancer ‘lesion’ on his head and the posted letter of diagnosis he received from “Dr Skinner.” He expresses his anxiety over said lesion with such anger, veins popping and rock-star like maneuvers – the crowd just roars.

Gleeson’s Get It Into Ya!show is presented in the intimate setting of the Sydney Comedy Store. He engages the audience right off the bat, finding out who the youngest member of the audience is and having a bit of a casual chat with her and familiarising himself with fellow ‘baldies.’ He has that appealing energy and vibe of the ‘he’s just a mate in a bar’ variety, who’s finished work (as he’s always donned in a shirt and tie), downed a few and then gets up and takes the floor to entertain his mates.

He is downright hilarious – really laugh out loud funny. He has a good stab at people in general including asking us what we think of Gillard, to which people were very lukewarm…he’s not overly offensive or overly gross like some comedians; he is sharp and sophisticated with a pinch of below-the-belt humor.

I really would have enjoyed another half hour or so of Tom Gleeson, he’s great to watch and when it comes down to it, is there really anything better than having a good laugh?

The Playhouse, Sydney Opera House.
August 13 – 21

What a gem, an absolute hoot, a woman with big hair who’s witty – That’s Kitty.

Normally I find I’m not a fan of the stand-up fem comedienne. I generally find that I just don’t find them as funny as men. Why? I don’t know. It’s not a sexist thing it’s just about what makes me laugh and what doesn’t.

Kitty Flanagan, however, has changed all that – she’s turned the tables for me and shifted my thinking. I’ve now become a ‘raving fan’ – I’ve touted, posted and twittered about how good Kitty is.

Opening with her sister Penny Flanagan on guitar singing a Dixie Chicks song, Kitty walks onstage welcomed by rousing applause. A familiar face on the comedy scene, Flanagan is known by audiences for her appearances in Australia on the 7PM Project, Full Frontal and Good News Week. Kitty Flanagan’s ‘Charming & Alarming’ show, which debuted last year and is back with a vengeance is absolutely worth the ticket price! She is laugh-out-loud funny, not just chuckle-worthy but really throw-your-head-back and clap funny.

Flanagan has the great knack of taking us on a raucous ride through the behaviour of people in society, class, countries, retirement and Catholicism. She has a go and a stab at ‘yummy-mummies’, ‘white-trash’ and teens whose language consists of ‘basically’, ‘literally’ and ‘Dya-know-what-I-mean’. We’ve all seen it and heard it, but Kitty can do it. She ‘literally’ mimics these stereotypes to a T. She is also a gun at actions and physicality, ever engaging us with her hysterical ‘impressions’ of people. She can take on the physicality and vocal variety of men in jail, toffs on the golf course, preggers teen mums, drunken women falling over themselves after a long night out, ‘Aussies’ and more. I experienced umpteen ‘That’s so true!’ moments in relation to her authenticity of characters and ‘take-offs’.

Flanagan is also so casual and unassuming, appearing in simple black trousers, and collared black top – no flouncy outfit or props, just herself and us, the audience. I loved the simplicity. She has this incredible knack of building a relationship with us, that we feel we know her personally. It’s as if we’re in a bar with her and she’s just got up to relive some moments that she’d observed on her travels, that she thought were hilarious and worth retelling.

Kitty Flanagan is an absolute riot! She goes off … the packed Playhouse roared … it was unanimous – Flanagan = Funny! Definitely get along to this show if you want a good laugh!