By Jennifer Beasley.
Oh Mickey,
You’re so fine, You’re so fine,
You blow my mind,
Hey Mickey!
Many thanks to Toni Basil who appeared to have written Oh Mickey specifically for kinetic ball of motion Mickey Wilson, whose personality beguiles you as soon as you walk through the doors of the relaxed ambiance of Club Voltaire.
There’s a lot to like about Mickey Wilson (represented by Mad Entertainment). Underneath the larrikin persona is a warm and generous man, very friendly, whose family is paramount to his functionability.
Upon arrival at the amazing Club Voltaire (the place is so, so, me! Sorry, I just finished covering the Midsumma Festival), Wilson came up and shook hands with all the audience. His kids are there, his mum is there, and his wife is there. With such staunch support I think I slotted into the role of quirky aunty, while my companion took on the mantle of bemused older friend.
This superstar in the making in no dill either. With 30 million clicks on his socials, a glowing endorsement by Dave Hughes, and a stellar quick wit, he’s sure to gain returns on his gamble to sell up the family home, buy a van and take the Fam on the adventure of a lifetime!
Acting as his own MC (very good at it too, has a bit of a Dave O’Neil quality about him as well), Wilson has two openers for the show I watched.
Tyson Popplestone, who has opened for Arj Barker and Peter Hellier, does a nice job. He might have been nervous as he kept covering his face, but he is certainly a better comedian than Hellier and is a good support for Wilson. Good looking too and another lovely family man whose material needs a little room to shine. Might need to keep a lid on anything too dodgy.
The second opener is Omar Gad. I’ll leave it at that, although the delightful lads in the front row, Bailey and Taylor, had the audience in stitches.
Utilising Toni Basil’s song is inspirational, as high-octane Wilson ramps up the crowd with raised hand clapping, and the pumping music is a buzz!
Hailing from NT, Darwin to be specific, I was sad that there were no jokes from his time as a car mechanic, or his wife’s beauty business, however he did mention he used to be in a choir.
With a reoccurring motif of ‘I look like an undercover cop’ and good interaction with the crowd (looking at Bailey and Taylor again, as well as the Forkie and Sparkie-all so good humoured), Mickey segues into his caravaning, and asks the (mostly young) audience, if any of them have a caravan.
Nup.
This is Melbo mate. Get real.
Not all the jokes land. I was unsure why a 31-year-old guy wants his eyebrows threaded, particularly as it went nowhere, and there is some sexist material that is beneath the calibre of this performer.
I also love the visual gag at the end. Foreshadowing greater things to come, it’s these ‘show not tell’ moments that really elevate an act, and along with Wilson’s superb use of stage presence and mobility (a great sign of physical dexterity) his comedic skills will improve with time until he fulfils his destiny and can buy a home and ditch the van.
Overall, a very good night for this debut comedy show now touring the length and breadth of Oz. Nice lighting and a good bar assist in keeping things smooth, and I’ll look out for the invo to attend the next family function.
Mickey Wilson: How Ya Goin’? is currently touring Australia. Check website for dates or Instagram Mickey Wilson (@mickeywilson_comedy) • Instagram photos and videos
