Leigh Qurban In Simple Dumb Things At Rhino Room – Adelaide Fringe Review

 Rhino Room’s Beer Garden, Thu Feb 19 Leigh Qurban scored a point for beginning his show with plainchant, definitely a comedy first, that made me take notice. His 100-mile-a-minute delivery and sheer volume blasted the audience into attention, but the lack of variation in tempo and pitch rapidly turned everything to white noise and I found it immensely difficult to concentrate. When everything is roared and declaimed, nothing is distinguished. He started with a notion of gags, a section on farts (yes really) gave way to a smart routine about Valentine’s gifts with good acting out – which was also a successful part of the show later on, covering how hen parties got their name. His immensely high energy delivery risked losing his subtler points; a brilliant gag about other countries’ public holidays showed his ability to find the comedy perspective, but this gem was in danger of being swept away in a tsunami of blether. I woke up, figuratively speaking, in the middle of a long piece about Sega drive games versus their XBox equivalents. The show is billed as a ‘no-nonsense, full of nonsense’ show and he asserted that nothing means anything, this isn’t a show where there’s a journey, a maturation or personal revelation. For me if ‘nothing means anything’ he lets himself off the hook in terms of landing any comedic punches, having a structure or any narrative arc. If nothing means anything why take up an audience’s time with lengthy anecdote and weird sketch? Nonsense is a real challenge to pull off, it needs discipline or it is just seems infantile. Qurban is one to watch; he was engaging and confident, but this show needed more direction and some hard editing. But if you fancy high energy chaos, look no further. Julia Chamberlain Leigh Qurban - Simple Dumb Things continues at Rhino Room’s Beer Garden until Sat Feb 28. Book at FringeTIX on 1300 621 255 or adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix. Click HERE to purchase your tickets.