Reviewed by: Glam Adelaide
Review by Georgina Smerd | 10 March 2024
It’s always a fun time entering into the enjoyably awkward world of the ageless and self-proclaimed ’tiny baby lamb’ of Australian comedy, Josh Thomas, and his latest offering, Let’s Tidy Up, is no exception. Plenty of comedic moments come from Josh’s mind unconstrained mouth, as his bouncing thoughts become a multitude of silly, ridiculous and hilariously egotistical verbal thought trails, and some entertaining oversharing. The audience learns about the comedian’s indifference towards dying (it doesn’t seem like his problem), his love of his backyard gopher friend Eric, his distaste for men called Paul and cats, and about his friend’s herpes (no shame implied!). Of course, love and relationships, breakups and failed proposals (deservedly showing Josh as the Hugh Grant villain of a 90’s rom com that he is) also make up much of the show’s content, with Josh’s dating life proving to be enthrallingly spicy – give us more! Josh also vulnerably talks about his ADHD and a deliciously dramatic Autism diagnosis and what living with this neurodiversity means, highlighting the humourous life situations that eventuate due to these factors. This ties in with his difficulty to clean and organise parts of his life (hence the title Let’s Tidy Up), his multi-directional trails of thoughts, and inability to throw out tote bags. Josh also pokes fun at his autistic traits, like his stereotyped love of trains (especially those that are funicular) and also practices his small talk skills with the audience, and if they are also autistic, then comedic awkwardness ensues. Some of the best laugh-out-loud moments are found in the comedian recounting his eventful, and also less eventful, time in LA, when he uprooted his Australian life and headed for Hollywood all by himself. From mistakenly caressing terrible date’s faces in misty clubs, to burying his dead dog while on acid as the eerie Anzac/Remembrance Day music ’The Last Post’ plays, Josh got up to a whole lot of mischief in his hunt to make American friends and meet an American boy. In dramatic Josh Thomas-fashion, there’s time for a mid-show, confident yet clumsy dance break, and Josh also encourages the drama with large pieces of pink confetti falling from the venue’s roof throughout the night. It’s all a bit of light-hearted, somewhat awkward and self-deprecating fun, with some hilariously egotistical moments also included, as Josh shows the audience how to poke fun at their imperfections – but mainly Josh’s. His emphasis on learning to love ourselves as the f****d up and flawed people we are is a wholesome way to end a very amusing hour, and a relief in a world that pushes for unachievable perfection.