Wil Anderson – Free Wil | Riverside Theatre | Until Oct 10
★ ★ ★ ★
Arguably Australia’s most well-known comic, Wil Anderson’s influence has crept across the globe. From stand-up, to hosting festivals, television and podcasts, Anderson has carved a name for himself with his charm, honesty and talent. His latest show, ‘Free Wil’ showcases Anderson’s affable personality for an awesome night of comedy.
Opening with a very touching story about his darkest personal shame – I won’t ruin it – Anderson has the crowd in stitches from the get-go by sharing his little secret. Thematic self-deprecation runs throughout the performance, as he tears himself to shreds for your pleasure.
Anderson is currently celebrating his 20th year of stand-up, which one can appreciate is a solid achievement in Aussie comedy. Anderson has the ability to make his exclusive high-flying life sound as excruciating and mundane as anyone’s – but his curiosity seems to lead him to the strangest situations. Sharing a tale from his last trip to the Edinburgh Comedy Festival, Anderson tells of an aerial encounter that generated some strange sounds from the sci-fi fans in the audience (again, I won’t ruin it).
Anderson is like many comedians, a storyteller first and foremost. His anecdotes, which at times become tangential rants about babies in the audience, are cunningly weaved into one another – tying the set into one fully finished joke. ‘Free Wil’ is a neatly polished set of crazy capers that make it easy to see why he’s made it 20 years in the business.
‘Free Wil’ is playing tonight, Saturday August 8th at the Riverside Theatre, Perth Exhibition Centre. Tickets available from Ticketek.com
