| 19 August 2011
If there can be a comedic personification of “If love is wrong, I don’t wanna be right,” I'd like to nominate Edward Aczel.
Marrying the body of Milton and the “um” usage of the boss from Office Space, Aczel appears to be the total package of what shouldn’t work for stand-up, including - but absolutely not limited to - a listless, droning monotone, a microphone that looks down on him, and an aversion to eye contact (he did, however, sustain some nearly normal levels of eye contact with one audience member during a lengthy perusal of Michael Caine’s career). The result was complete audience adoration.
Straight away I worried that Aczel’s schtick would grow tiresome after a few moments, only to find in a few moments how thoroughly mistaken I had been. What began perceptibly to be amusement at the wrongness onstage quickly metamorphosed into a larger joy; while Aczel’s stage presence enhanced the overall effect, it was his humour that had men exploding into high-pitched giggles between rounds of group laughter.
Although he, more than anyone, is aware of the power of his persona, Aczel didn’t coast on it. Instead, he took us through his entire fantasy career as a comedian, pitching it to us as he might to the industry’s high-rollers, so to speak. Despite his projected apathy, this was one of the most well-rounded and well-accounted for stand-up sessions I’ve seen this Fringe.
Perhaps it’s best to think of Aczel’s awkwardness as analogous to the subtitles in that foreign film everyone is raving about. Sure, it takes a little effort at first, but then you get in the zone. A zone that, in this case, is totally worth it.
Edward Aczel Doesn’t Exist, Cowgate @ Underbelly, 17-28 Aug, 7.20pm
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