****1/2 (out of 5)
Dan Rath describes himself as having “enough different flavours of brain fog to start a vape store.” Rath also is the reigning holder of the Piece of Wood Award, given to him last year in Melbourne by previous winners and other comedians who wanted to single him out for his comedic expertise.
So if he really has something wrong in his brain, it’s also made him quite deft and daft as a joke-writer and joke-teller, sometimes channelling the sly absurdity of the late great Mitch Hedberg, at other times proving himself as hilariously cynical on topical matters as an American comic like Kyle Kinane. Which means I, like the comedians of 2023, absolutely loved Rath’s performance.
Rath just released a special via 800 Pound Gorilla Media’s YouTube Channel called I’m Not Doing Well Folks, and a few of the jokes from there have carried over to this run. As has his shirt. But not his hair. His hair is shorter, and my only complaint is how short his set felt, too. I didn’t want him stop. Rath’s energy produces even more electric and contagious laughter live in the room at Town Hall than he does on tape. Catch him if you can!