Sydney Reviews

Comedy is about rhythm. As an audience member, you have to find that rhythm before you can be in on the joke.

The stand-up comedy style one man play, Thom Pain (based on nothing) has a jerky rhythm. Surely the script must hold the world record for single words separated by comas. These setups finish not with a punch line but with a complete dismissal of what has just been said. This stop start style of humor can be jolting. It is very black but often hilarious once the viewer gets into the rhythm.

Slowly we realize that this is not just a stand up routine, but a character study of a man who is a prisoner of his own self-loathing. The only two things we know about Thom for sure are that his dog was electrocuted when he was a young boy wearing a cowboy outfit and his girlfriend has just left him. We suspect this is but a snapshot of many tragic events in Thom’s life. Thom reads silently from a piece of paper he has suddenly pulled from his pocket. He hopes this will explain everything. It doesn’t. Thom’s uncertainty is matched only by his cynicism. His attitude is exemplified by reflections on the recently defunct relationship. They were compatible, because they had a d**k and a c**t he tells us in his sad, matter-of-fact way.

Brooklyn Playwright Will Eno wanted a t-shirt made to promote the play with “Thom Pain, he’s just like you - except worse” written on it. Thom Pain went on to be nominated for the 2005, Pulitzer prize for Drama. Eno also wrote Tragedy: A Tragedy which used language in a similarly playful fashion, when the setting sun was reported like some apocalyptic event.

Luke Mullins gives a captivating performance. He dresses in a business suit but his nervous energy and palpable fear are anything but business like. Mullins’ builds an unsettling relationship with his audience. He often sits on the row of steps beside us, begging to be liked. He knows deep down we’d all rather be at the pub and fears what we’ll say to our friends about the show afterwards. There is a tense moment when he asks for volunteers from the audience. No-one is quite sure if he’s serious.

In the end, Thom kind of fades away. This is of course the point but you are left waiting for the show to break its mold and end with some sort of sucker punch. Still the jokes are hilarious and about as black as it gets. There is nothing quite like this-all in-one standup comedy routine and character study. Then again you probably see stuff like this everyday.


Arts Radar in association with B Sharp presents the Sydney premiere of
THOM PAIN (based on nothing)
by Will Eno

Directed by Sam Strong

Venue: Belvoir St Downstairs Theatre, 25 Belvoir St, Surry Hills
Preview: Thursday 30 July
Opening: Friday 31 July
Dates: 1 - 16 August
Times: Tues 7pm, Wed-Sat 8.15pm, Sun 5.15pm
Tickets: $29/$23 (Preview $20, Cheap Tues Pay-what-you-can, min. $10)
Bookings: 9699 3444 or www.belvoir.com.au