| 15 August 2011
Some call him the ‘Prince of Polyester,’ others would say he is one of Australia’s finest exports - right up there with Ugg boots and Dame Edna. Whatever you think of him, Bob Downe is an undeniably entertaining performer who is currently shimmying his way up the estimation of the Edinburgh crowd one white-loafered footstep at a time.
Singing a mélange of songs that are the staple of most wedding receptions (‘Love is in the air.’ ‘Pretty Woman’, and ‘Land Down-under’ to name but a few), Bob creates an infectiously festive atmosphere. While there is most definitely a feeling of camp-cruise-ship entertainment and a slight waft of fake tan in the air, Bob’s genuine ability as a singer and comedian rescues him from the cliché. Who could not like a man whose facial expressions, no matter how hard he tries to vary them, make him look like a cross-eyed cheesing Wallace or Gromit in a wig?
His pithy jokes and banter with the audience keep the mood light and fun. His bitchiness seldom surfaces and when it does it is well-timed and wickedly funny: his selection of greeting cards and continual referencing to his mic-stand as ‘Kate’ are testament to this. This show is not for everyone, but for those who are up for it, with Bob as your host you are bound to have a great time.
Bob Downe: 20 Golden Greats, Gilded Balloon, 3-29 Aug (not 16), 8.00 pm
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