Matt Dyktynski – Afraid… Very Afraid
While you may not recognise him, or be able to pronounce his last name, Matt Dyktynski is a seasoned performer: He is an actor (appearing in films and favourite Australian TV shows such as Blue Heelers and The Secret Life of Us) and a comedian. As the latter though, he misses the mark a little bit.
Afraid…Very Afraid is supposed to be about breaking free from all the things thrown at us that are supposed to scare us, like constant terror threats, old and new diseases, the global financial crisis, and all things which the modern world can create. Unfortunately, the show was more Dyktynski going off on a tangent than anything else. Whether he intended or not, the small, claustrophobic venue set the scene well, but once on stage Dyktynski talked about his theme for five minutes or so and then it disappeared, as he joked about a crocodile stalking a friend who jogged every morning or his time as an understudy in a musical. Dyktynski elicited a few giggles from the crowd but the routine in general possessed some uneven jokes, despite both a topic that could be considered relevant to the society we live in today, and his earnest approach in wanting to make people laugh.
For those who’ve read the preview for Afraid… Very Afraid and are expecting some political or social observations, you may be disappointed as he digresses from the topic; And for those of you looking for side-splitting laughs, Afraid…Very Afraid unfortunately won’t give you many.
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Au contraire, Emma!!
I flew down from Sydney to soak up the fantastic atmosphere of the festival and ended up going to see half a dozen shows. When I came across Matt Dyktynski’s show on the blackboard I thought I’d give it a go because I’d seen him do an awesome gig at the Fringe Bar in Sydney a while ago.
When I walked into the Carpet Room at the Forum where Matt is doing his gig I admit to not being envious. To say the room is intimate is an understatement!
And yet Matt really connected with everyone there (about twenty-five of us). The party of five that I went with all commented about how much we loved the show. The “non-jokes” he tells, either about his mate and the crocodile or his time as an understudy didn’t take away from the experience, they only added to it. The understudy story was hilarious, by the way!
Emma, you mention side-splitting laughs being absent but I think you show a lack of an understanding of the fact that in a room like that people are reticent to “let go” and belly laugh.
I know this stuff’s all subjective but I, and the guys I went with, had a really good hour seeing Matt. Whilst I definitely wouldn’t want to revisit some of the shows I went to see, I’d definitely go and see Matt Dyktynski again.
It really didn’t work for me. When you are in such an intimate venue, it should be easier to connect with the audience and make them feel part of something special. I just wanted him to stop. With so much great stuff on at the festival being just average ends up looking terrible by comparison.
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