From off-stage, Tony Lyall gets the crowd’s attention with the big F word – fornication. Quoting Michael Bolton’s famous words, Lyall explains that when a man loves a woman something amazing can happen. For him, that something was becoming a father.
In this year’s show Just Kidding Lyall shares with us how his life has changed now that he has a baby to care for. He is especially cynical of nursery rhymes, fables and Disney films – he doesn’t trust them to teach kids about the world which he proceeds to prove by acutely turning the tale of the Gingerbread Man on its head, revealing the underlying dark message beneath.
He also shrewdly analyzes that iconic scene in The Lady and the Tramp swiftly dispelling the notion that dogs behave so coyly around a plate of spaghetti. What about the other diners? What is their food hygiene rating? These are pertinent questions Lyall poses to drive the point home. One huge serving of trout spaghetti (do not try at home) and an ill-fated road trip later, we are thoroughly convinced (and more than a little bit queasy) that dogs should never be offered pasta.
From cracking that cryptic real estate code to his logic behind why his son Arden is not named after the Prime Minister, Lyall’s material is a wealth of sharp witticisms that is engaging as it is entertaining. He has a very “every man” quality about him which make his material accessible, even if you’re not a parent.
Just Kidding is another enjoyable hour from Tony Lyall, this time with added world-weariness from being a new father. It is an hour of insightful dialogue and keen observations from an adept comedian that will surely tickle your funny bone.
Tony Lyall’s Just Kidding is on at Q for 2 more nights (until 19 May). For more info and to book tickets, click here.
comedy | theatre | live entertainment | performing arts 