There are strong, well-crafted jokes in Australian comic Dan Rath’s show Tropical Depression, which was met with acclaim on his home turf. Tonight in Edinburgh, it’s a markedly self-conscious affair, which some might say is by design – such is his deadpan, deliberately alienating style – but this writer is not entirely convinced.
There is something admittedly refreshing about Rath’s no-frills approach that hinges on the strength of his punchlines. But though the gag rate is high, the big laughs come inconsistently. He seems to have half the room onside, the other half less sure what to make of him; trying to discern where he starts and the persona ends. It’s a gambit one can’t help but feel needs a performer’s full weight behind it; the comforting sense that what the room thinks is of no great concern. But when Rath remarks on how loud it is when a comedian needs the crowd’s approval, the call is coming from inside the house.
Rath clearly marches to the beat of his own drum, one that secludes him but makes him see the world in delightfully quirky ways. It plays well against the extroverts in the crowd, of which maybe there just aren’t enough of tonight. He makes a good foil to the self-assuredness of your average neurotypical male. But for a show this deliberately subdued, it’s surprising that he seems rattled by a mixed reception and a vibe of his own making.
Dan Rath: Tropical Depression, Monkey Barrel Comedy, until 24 Aug (not 11), 6.40pm