Craig Hill. Give Him an Inch

Back in town again for another welcome return visit to the Melbourne Comedy Festival, Scottish comedian Craig Hill bounded back on stage at Chapel off Chapel in his trademark kilt with his trademark hi-nrg gayest of all gay dance intros. Mr Hill's comedy is a refreshingly contemporary take on the gay stereotype of bitchy queen humour - though the barbs are there, his delivery is so warm and approach so light-hearted that it's clear everything is in fun and we're all in on the joke.

Those members of last night's audience who, having seen Mr Hill at previous year's Melbourne Comedy Festival performances, knew well enough to sit up the back were not spared, as there were a few empty seats in the front row which he quickly filled by bringing them down. These hapless folk became the source material for much of Mr Hill's riffing on his usual themes of the attitudes of Aussies, their accents (which he finds the source of much amusement, no surprise having grown up in Scotland) and pretensions, accompanied by the insertion of as many double entendres into the material as possible.

Mr Hill is so clearly good-natured in his humour, despite its to-the-wall risqueness, that it's hard to take offence, and last night's audience certainly didn't, with people of all ages and inclinations laughing along. The obligatory audience member on-stage participation consisted of bringing a particularly butch-looking bloke up to mimic Mr Hill's dancing style, who in true blue Aussie tradition threw himself into the part. It was a very entertaining evening from a polished and funny performer, here’s hoping he keeps coming back.

Alex Paige