Buongiorno, fellow lovers! Clown and comedy maestro Jeromaia Detto is back in Gluttony with his latest offering: Giuseppe’s Love Quest. 

What is love? That is the question that haunts Detto’s Giuseppe, a love-lorn romantic who has never felt the spark of romance. To find that special connection, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery to find what it means to be in love, feel love and ultimately share love. What follows is a series of social experiments where Giuseppe reaches out to his audience to help guide him to romantic success. 

While other shows might keep the excitement isolated to the stage, nowhere is off-limits in The Bally. Giuseppe pops in through the entrance with a bouquet of roses, bequeathing flowers to a special few along the way. Between addressing the audience as a whole, he asks individuals directly about their experiences with love and invites them on stage to perform special tasks. Such tasks include an impromptu 30-second sketch challenge, while in another, he recruits an agreeable chap to be his little “bambino” on stage, complete with nappy and pacifier (while stealing my chair on both occasions). It’s a riotous time where everyone from the front row to the back becomes a target for Giuseppe’s strange escapades. I was super impressed with the sound mixer on this particular night. They did a wonderful job keeping the musical prompts timed with Detto’s impeccable delivery. Whether he’s serenading us with an awkwardly translated piece of karaoke or attempting to woo an unsuspecting audience member, the sound design makes the aural aspects of the comedy as funny as the physical.

It’s hard to describe the unique energy and showmanship Detto possess. It’s a rare breed of talent and charisma that can pull off a one-man show with this much laughter and charisma. Not a shred of dullness falls on his ability to direct a crowd’s attention wherever he chooses. It’s quite clear that Detto has a knack for comic timing and a keen eye for improv. From offering salutations to latecomers to his show to attempting his first hug, he has such dedication to connecting with every pair of eyes he finds to linger on. And his ability to incorporate call-backs to every conversation is simply *chef’s kiss*. 

Channelling comedy through a cultural stereotype is always risky business, but Detto‘s Giuseppe is far from a one-note character weighed down with cheap jokes. The show's greatest strength is drawing from Giuseppe’s charming obliviousness when it comes to social cues and his ability to incorporate his audience into each new comic beat. And that Italian accent is the comedy cherry on top. There’s an endearing sweetness at the heart of Love Quest. It’s never about making one person feel embarrassed or intimidated, but giving people the space to share their experience and have it returned with a gentle sincerity between the laughter.

Giuseppe’s Love Quest is uniquely wonderful, a one-man show that stands tall above the rest. It’s a magical evening of big-hearted humour that will charm you three times over. If you don’t find something to laugh yourself sore at, you'd better get that heart tested.

***** Five Stars