Premium Content:

Review: Nob Happy Sock

Bob Happy Sock edit2Nob Happy Sock | Casa Mondo | Until Feb 16 | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

Last night 69 people crowded into the tiny  space that is Casa Mondo to see Simon Keck perform his award winning one man show ‘Nob Happy Sock’.

- Advertisement -

Surrounding a pocketbook stage on three sides, the audience dwarfed what must be the tiniest venue at the Pleasure Garden.

Over the last two weeks I’ve seen a lot of spectacle, some talented circus and burlesque acts and wonderful cabaret performers but last night I witnessed the closest thing to a religious experience I have seen in any Fringe performance.

Wielding a microphone, wearing blue stripe pyjamas and armed with nothing more than an incredible honesty Simon Keck held his audience spellbound as he wove a narrative that candidly disclosed his own struggle with depression and suicide ideation.

Yes. This is a comedy show. And yes we laughed about a subject many would consider too serious for laughter. However I sense the laughter came from a shared realisation of a common experience many of us in the audience were familiar with. There was a palpable sense of relief that finally the elephant in the room that is such a facet of modern life was being named and addressed.

This isn’t the first show written about suicide but I can’t remember an example where the subject matter has been treated I such an understated and human way.

The show is beautifully crafted. I can certainly understand why it has garnered awards from  fringe festivals in Melbourne and Adelaide.

As we exited into the evening I couldn’t help but feel we as an audience had been bonded by the experience; that somehow we were more connected to life. That, in my opinion, is the true alchemy of theatre. Simon Keck will be performing until the 16th of February.

Charlie Perth

 

Latest

‘Reckless’: New First Nations-led comedy thriller premieres this November

The new series from SBS and NITV brings the drama to Fremantle.

City of Vincent Film Project returns to celebrate local stories and creatives

The initiative highlighting local stories and supporting WA creatives is back for another round in 2026.

Bibliophile | ‘The Warrumbar’ tells a story of Australia’s haves and have-nots

The year was 1969 when thirteen year-old Robbie rode three miles to high school, with one sister sitting on the handle bars.

Former actor Laurence Fox gains retrial over racist defamation claim

An appeal court has found that Fox's counter claim in a libel case should have been heard, but the original judgement will remain.

Newsletter

Don't miss

‘Reckless’: New First Nations-led comedy thriller premieres this November

The new series from SBS and NITV brings the drama to Fremantle.

City of Vincent Film Project returns to celebrate local stories and creatives

The initiative highlighting local stories and supporting WA creatives is back for another round in 2026.

Bibliophile | ‘The Warrumbar’ tells a story of Australia’s haves and have-nots

The year was 1969 when thirteen year-old Robbie rode three miles to high school, with one sister sitting on the handle bars.

Former actor Laurence Fox gains retrial over racist defamation claim

An appeal court has found that Fox's counter claim in a libel case should have been heard, but the original judgement will remain.

Fresh Tracks | The latest tunes worth checking out

New tracks from Ladytron, Melanie C, Sudan Archives, Courtney Barnett, Tame Impala, Louis Tomlinson and Eurovision star ADONXS.

‘Reckless’: New First Nations-led comedy thriller premieres this November

The new series from SBS and NITV brings the drama to Fremantle.

City of Vincent Film Project returns to celebrate local stories and creatives

The initiative highlighting local stories and supporting WA creatives is back for another round in 2026.

Bibliophile | ‘The Warrumbar’ tells a story of Australia’s haves and have-nots

The year was 1969 when thirteen year-old Robbie rode three miles to high school, with one sister sitting on the handle bars.