Alex Kealy has hyper-anxiety, so it's no surprise what his show will touch on! Alex embraces his social awkwardness, openly discussing his three great fears, one of which is the audience itself. That's surprising, given how easily he managed to create a sense of collegiality within the room.
After a slightly wobbly start, Alex found his groove with a particularly risqué assassination comment, and the jokes flowed freely from there. His style of relatable, not-quite-observational comedy had the audience in stitches, especially with the anxiety-driven gymnastics his brain seems to perform. Can a long, detailed diatribe about how a coffee machine works be entertaining? Somehow, Alex managed to make it a stand-out part of the show, and it’s definitely worth the price of admission alone.
Alex also mines a wealth of comedy from his relationship, which has progressed from engaged to married, and if Alex is to be believed, a trial separation five days a week! He also speaks about his relationship with his mother, whose love is much like Canada, and even how his hyper-anxiety leads to awkward interactions with his closest friends. I was briefly worried when he first started talking about going to an all-boys boarding school, fearing another show filled with performative guilt over privilege, but Kealy neatly and hilariously sidestepped that with a wonderful analogy that I suspect will stick with me forever.
There were a few jokes that didn’t have the same level of impact, but Kealy acknowledged it, managed to make the situation funny and move on without drama. It was charming in a way to see him workshop the jokes in front of us, and served only to endear this awkward boarding school alum to us further. Equally, the energy in the room did drop at the 45-minute mark, but Alex managed to find another gear and pull it back with a nice close – and I strongly encourage you to stick around after he’s left the stage.
Is Alex Kealy’s show going to change your world, challenge your perceptions, or provide cutting commentary on the latest political events? No, and that’s for the better. Especially at the Fringe, where it feels every comedian is auditioning for the now cancelled 'Mock the Week', Alex Kealy delivers a solid hour of stand-up that feels smaller, more intimate, and more genuine.
Catch Alex Kealy: The Fear at Monkey Barrel (The Hive), at 16:15.
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