By Nick Pilgrim
Bigger, brighter, and louder than ever, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival is currently under way for three dynamic weeks. Jam-packed with interest, the multitude of options on offer means there is always something for everyone.
Having reviewed for almost fifteen years, I continue to be amazed by boundary-pushing presentations which redefine live entertainment. This observation is particularly applied to a new generation of acts that have made their presence known on social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok.
Elliot Ulm is an original.
Thanks to the internet’s wide-reaching power, the self-made graphic designer and trained actor has taken self-promotion to a brand-new level. A philosopher who models himself on Steve Jobs by day and Steven Sondheim by night, cutting edge technology has been the perfect platform for the twenty-six-year-old to find and sell his voice.
As a designer by trade myself, curiosity alone was enough for me to choose this piece for review. The industry can be joyous at best, and a hellish boot camp at worst. If only unintentionally, not for one moment would I consider this career path fodder for the MICF.
If you’ve seen the likes of Pam Ann sending up airlines or Matthew Inman (creator of The Oatmeal comic strip) detail his interactions with crazy clients, Graphic Design Live! takes a similar route.
Ulm covers personal and professional episodes such as:
- Taking masochistic delight in how 89 design houses rejected his offer of fronting training sessions for them
- Failing an audition for Jesus Christ Superstarwhen his best friend made the cut
- Overhauling his first big commission
- How graphic design and comedy are alike
- I (Adobe Illustrator) versus A.I (Artificial Intelligence).
Combining the TED talk confidence of Anthony Robbins with the manic flair of SNL’s Andy Kaufman, Ulm builds his fifty-five-minute act on the premise of faking it until you make it. Never has suffering from Imposter Syndrome felt more raw or real than it did watching him at perform. Marketing and what constitutes star quality is such a dice role at best, which is probably the show’s main point.
As is the case with many of the acts in any given year, any available space both large and small is up for consideration. Paw Paw Jump is a former cat café which will double as a stand-up venue for the duration of the festival.
Like Julian O’Shea, Sammy J and Annie Louey, Ulm uses multimedia to solid effect. His dynamic Powerpoint slideshow backing reinforces the routine’s content, while helping the knowing crowd feel completely at home.
Laughing at his own deliberately awful puns, Ulm’s set looks like it could fall apart by the seams at any moment. Artistic choices such as these are deliberate and made to keep viewers on edge yet engaged. Furthermore, if his appreciative full house was any indication, there seemed to be a lot of love in the room.
Loose yet completely self-aware, Ulm is the quintessential extroverted introvert. His nervous energy is both disarming and infectious. Stretching this anecdotal format to the limit, there is some real potential here.
Finishing on a high note, Ulm’s love for Sondheim is reflected in classic showstopper which he has rewritten in tribute to both his passion for design and musical theatre. This moment alone is worth the price of admission.
Graphic Design Live! plays for a strictly limited season until Saturday April 5.
