Guy Montgomery @ MICF 2018 – by Julian Callinan

GUY MONTGOMERY – Guy Montgomery Doesn’t Check His Phone for an Hour

Starting with some strong observational humour that worked well with his intro music, the affable Montgomery slips into a narrative so subtly you don’t realise it’s happening until halfway through. With a strong grasp of the room and a frequently charming turn of phrase, he held the audience’s attention even while detailing just how hard that has become, both for him and us. Through the curtain before the show proper the light on his phone was visible, suggesting that the struggle is real rather than just for material, and that while he might not have beaten his addiction to technology, he has at least transformed it into something an audience will happily laugh about for an hour. Not that the show is a paean to the Luddites, just that his very funny stories and jokes occasionally veered back to the titular topic. And he avoided clichés with a deft touch. Illuminating and erudite.

Portico Room, Melbourne Town Hall. 29th March to 22nd of April, no Mondays. Tuesday to Saturday at 9.45 pm, Sundays 8.45pm.