2012 Melbourne International Comedy Festival:
• Jimmy James Eaton in One Small Sketch for Man
Posted on 11 April 2012
Be still my geeky heart. One Small Sketch for Man is a dream show for anyone who is a lover of sketch, mime, off-centre humour, and science fiction. Jimmy Eaton manages to pack in space travel, time travel, and monsters that shoot lasers from their nipples, along with sketches that can only be described as surreal. This is the show I will be recommending to all my friends.
I found it hard to believe at the end of the show that Eaton had used no props. His mime is so crisp and fully realised that your brain fills in the gaps without question. His vocal control was also impressive. Eaton voiced all of the foley himself and dexterously provided a room full of characters, who were clearly and believably distinct through both voice and gesture.
One Small Sketch for Man is held together more by emotion than theme. Like ocean waves one sketch would end on a high note, then the next would begin on that same note until it crashed in a moment of drama, the following sketch would then rise from the sand and redeem our hopes. Such an intense and involving approach to a show requires incredible skill. Eaton shows he has that skill and consistently delivers the laughs. This is memorable stuff.
Also worth noting is the writing. Eaton’s pacing is impeccable. He brings amazing new twists to old fantasy tropes, keeping them fresh, funny, and…honestly…beautiful. Who knew that a crime could be solved by tasting the rain? He concocts unlikely but loveable characters. How happy are we to know a couple of playful brick-layers? He weaves characters, situations, and events in and out of one another, until we are rewarded at the end with a climax that brings all the fun together in ways so crazy and wonderful, it has to be seen to be appreciated.
Eaton is currently the artistic director for The Big Hoo Haa! one of Melbourne’s finest impro venues. I love impro, but I want to see him continuing to do shows like One Small Sketch for Man. His performance deserves awards. Go see him. Go vote for him in the Bulmer Awards.
Peace and kindness,
Katherine
http://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2012/season/shows/one-small-sketch-for-man-jimmy-james-eaton/
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