Tommy Dassalo's “Spread” is sort of about his (Tommy Dassalo's) connection to the creator of Vegemite Fred Walker.
Except it isn't.
I'm going to mention Joel Creasy again, he has oddly become my yardstick for comedy festival gigs. Mostly because there were things I didn't like and didn't get in his show.
That wasn't actually the case with Dassalo's show though.
But like Creasey's show I was left curious, interested and wanting to see more of Dassalo's work.
I found out about Tommy Dassalo via The Little Dum Dum Club podcast, my traumatic experience with that in the post below (only joking).
It was from that podcast that I was first intrigued by his show "Spread" that he had mentioned he was working on/touring so it was one of the first shows that I booked (well I actually booked 12 shows at once so there's 12 that I book first) and was excited to see what Dassalo could do away from Karl Chandler and away from the podcast.
Something that was notable was that Dassalo didn't use a mic for is stand up elements.
The Ladies Lounge at the Forum Theatre is a small venue I think 4 rows of 8 chairs. So while he had his voice raised it wasn't shouting and it didn't need the mic and speakers.
This was something of a revelation for me, as I've always heard Dassalo's voice either via podcast or via microphone and speakers (in the case of The Little Dum Dum Club), but this time hearing him naturally he doesn't sound so pitched high.
It was also a revelation in general, seeing a comedian without a mic, just performing was, it was actually kinda special.
That it wasn't fully booked out kinda added to the experience it was much more like a performance, something almost theatre-esque about Dassalo's performance.
Creasey also performed without holding a mic, but was rigged up with a mic that sits in front of the mouth like those musical/pop singers sort of thing, with him it was part of his Drama Captain style that he had going in his show.
But with Dassalo the lack of the mic brought something of a different intimacy and casualness to the show.
The mic was used during his vignettes which delved into the history of his ancestor Fred Walker.
I found this rather fascinating, though I do know something of Vegemite's history having visited "Gusto" the free exhibition at the State Library of Victoria about the food culture in Victoria (I had some time before The Little Dum Dum Club recording).
As I've mentioned in previous posts I like a narrative through a show and
“Spread” had one, he also had pictures which were wonderfully drawn.
The narrative wasn't really of Vegemite's history but more about his life and family, sort of.
Dassalo’s stand up was insightful to him and his life, funny. Although not a laugh on every sentence, this was thoughtful stand up, leaving insights and allowing the audience to take in the story.
One thing I found a little odd about Dassalo was how formal he looked in a suit and a green tie. At the podcast recording he seemed much more laid back lacking the tie and in something brown (I can't remember more than that).
Dassalo also made use of the small stage that he had to work with at the Forum. It was quite a small stage; with an easel, chair, microphone stage, speakers on either side and a red curtain. Yet he still made it seem expansive and his space, moving around it during his vignettes and during stand up. I think theatre-esque is the word (hyphenated word) that I’ll return to.
Dassalo’s show isn’t a performance (not in the drama production sort of way), but it was a production. Something that had obviously been crafted and created. It wasn’t something just created after a few beers.
At the end of “Spread” I was left curious and wanting. I learned some things from his show, I was left curious about Dassalo and wanting to see more of his work.
Except it isn't.
I'm going to mention Joel Creasy again, he has oddly become my yardstick for comedy festival gigs. Mostly because there were things I didn't like and didn't get in his show.
That wasn't actually the case with Dassalo's show though.
But like Creasey's show I was left curious, interested and wanting to see more of Dassalo's work.
I found out about Tommy Dassalo via The Little Dum Dum Club podcast, my traumatic experience with that in the post below (only joking).
It was from that podcast that I was first intrigued by his show "Spread" that he had mentioned he was working on/touring so it was one of the first shows that I booked (well I actually booked 12 shows at once so there's 12 that I book first) and was excited to see what Dassalo could do away from Karl Chandler and away from the podcast.
Something that was notable was that Dassalo didn't use a mic for is stand up elements.
The Ladies Lounge at the Forum Theatre is a small venue I think 4 rows of 8 chairs. So while he had his voice raised it wasn't shouting and it didn't need the mic and speakers.
This was something of a revelation for me, as I've always heard Dassalo's voice either via podcast or via microphone and speakers (in the case of The Little Dum Dum Club), but this time hearing him naturally he doesn't sound so pitched high.
It was also a revelation in general, seeing a comedian without a mic, just performing was, it was actually kinda special.
That it wasn't fully booked out kinda added to the experience it was much more like a performance, something almost theatre-esque about Dassalo's performance.
Creasey also performed without holding a mic, but was rigged up with a mic that sits in front of the mouth like those musical/pop singers sort of thing, with him it was part of his Drama Captain style that he had going in his show.
But with Dassalo the lack of the mic brought something of a different intimacy and casualness to the show.
The mic was used during his vignettes which delved into the history of his ancestor Fred Walker.
I found this rather fascinating, though I do know something of Vegemite's history having visited "Gusto" the free exhibition at the State Library of Victoria about the food culture in Victoria (I had some time before The Little Dum Dum Club recording).
As I've mentioned in previous posts I like a narrative through a show and
“Spread” had one, he also had pictures which were wonderfully drawn.
The narrative wasn't really of Vegemite's history but more about his life and family, sort of.
Dassalo’s stand up was insightful to him and his life, funny. Although not a laugh on every sentence, this was thoughtful stand up, leaving insights and allowing the audience to take in the story.
One thing I found a little odd about Dassalo was how formal he looked in a suit and a green tie. At the podcast recording he seemed much more laid back lacking the tie and in something brown (I can't remember more than that).
Dassalo also made use of the small stage that he had to work with at the Forum. It was quite a small stage; with an easel, chair, microphone stage, speakers on either side and a red curtain. Yet he still made it seem expansive and his space, moving around it during his vignettes and during stand up. I think theatre-esque is the word (hyphenated word) that I’ll return to.
Dassalo’s show isn’t a performance (not in the drama production sort of way), but it was a production. Something that had obviously been crafted and created. It wasn’t something just created after a few beers.
At the end of “Spread” I was left curious and wanting. I learned some things from his show, I was left curious about Dassalo and wanting to see more of his work.