Resident comedian Matt Okine has returned to Brisbane with another hilarious stand-up routine.
Kick-starting his new tour ‘The Hat Game’ on home turf, the Indooroopilly local left audiences in fits of laughter as he cruised through another round of fresh jokes.
It’s been a massive 12 months for Matt – 2017 saw him co-write and star in his hit series ‘The Other Guy’, the release of the show’s soundtrack title ‘Warning Signs’ and his own cooking show on ABC ‘Shortcuts To Glory’.
Not to mention he’s travelled Europe, had a break and then dedicated a lot of time to perfecting a new routine.
While most fans know Matt from his award-winning comedy or time as a host on Triple J, he’s leaving no stone unturned in his seventh solo show, presenting a behind-the-scenes look at some of his latest projects and his personal life.
In a play on words, ‘The Hat Game’ focuses on Matt’s signature look – his trendy snapback that covers his battle with balding. It’s a sentiment riddled throughout his show, often poking fun at himself.
He further jests about a mosquito rudely biting him on his bald patch, having to film a sex scene for the first time, his dreams of being a Ghanaian Olympian and his weird desires to float to the bottom of a pool just to admire the world around him.
He was also quick to reminisce about his sweet times in the Brisbane hood, taking the audience on a very relevant trip down memory lane.
Humour reached a high point when he mocked our inability to buy a Brisbane City Council (BCC) bus ticket with a credit card; laughing at the irony of instead being able to purchase peanuts in the air (while flying on a plane).
It was evident by the roars of laughter that many audience members agreed wholeheartedly with Matt’s thinking. Something often found with his relatable approach to comedy.
At times, jokes were taken a little too far – turning belly laughs into stomach churns due to content too graphic for this review. But it all proved the fact that what you see with Matt Okine is what you get.
Not only is his new routine on point, but his charismatic method of story-telling allowed him to easily bounce to and fro between tales. At no point were punch lines missed or audience members lost in Matt’s quick thinking and wit. Venturing on random tangents, he kept the audience engaged, before tying all loose thoughts up in the show’s finale.
Matt Okine entertained audiences for the hour-long show, leaving cheeks hurting from smiles, people commenting about his performance and a take-home message to ‘always back your losses’.
Side note – I wonder how many letters BCC received regarding the bus ticket technology. If anything, hopefully Matt's jests will help rectify that situation soon.
Matt Okine Dates
9-10 March – The Arts Theatre (Adelaide Fringe)22 March – The Street Theatre (Canberra Comedy Festival)
29 March-22 April – Melbourne Town Hall (Melbourne Comedy Festival)
10-11 May – Enmore Theatre (Sydney Comedy Festival)
12 May – Regal Theatre (Perth Comedy Festival)
