Arj Barker: Power Hour - MICF 2022 Review

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Tue 05 Apr 2022 - Sun 24 Apr 2022

I first came to know about American comedian Arj Barker when he was on Just For Laughs and over the years I've devoured countless YouTube videos wanting to know more. Finally, I got to see the veteran performer live at The Athenaeum Theatre as part of the Comedy Festival. My only question is - What was I waiting for? Sure, Covid got in the way but what took me so long? Barker is pure comedy genius and watching him command the stage for his show Power Hour was hypnotic.

From the onset, Barker had us laughing in unison. There were jokes about the dangers of staring at the eclipse to the never-ending roadworks in Melbourne or (insert city here) that have been timeless for Barker.

Barker stated that he has a lot of respect for nurses and doctors and was so impressed by "Doctors Without Borders" that he started his own organisation called, "Doctors Without Degrees". "You work at a car wash or a comic book store, I don't give a s&*t, here is a scalpel and a one-way ticket to Uganda". Barker had the audience lapping up each joke with his unique brand of comedy.

Power Hour drifts effortlessly from one subject to another and gluten was also on the agenda. Barker remarks that he has been gluten-free for 8 weeks. "If anyone here is even considering quitting eating gluten, honestly it's not that bad. The only thing I really miss is happiness. It's the protein that makes food edible".

Throughout the hour, Barker cleverly delivered his punchlines in his typical self-deprecating manner, demonstrating why he has been strong in the comedy field for 30 years. Remastering and tweaking his catalogue of jokes, Barker is poignant at times, making him the powerhouse that he is. At the Athenaeum until 24th April, followed by Perth and a zig-zag through Australia.



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#celebrity
#comedy
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!date 05/04/2022 -- 24/04/2022
%wnmelbourne