Wilson Dixon Rides Again
Wilson Dixon: country singer, cowboy philosopher and Cripple Creek’s favourite son. A man of the road, Dixon is on tour again, singing songs from his first album, Wilson Dixon’s Greatest Hits, and his much acclaimed second album, Introducing Wilson Dixon. Living life by simple truths and homespun wisdom, Dixon is at a loss when his wife leaves. Best head for the hills, he thinks, and see if Uncle Cletus has any sage advice.
Alter ego of New Zealander Jesse Griffin, who has shone at past MICFs as one third of the Four Noels, Wilson Dixon Rides Again is a joy from start to finish. What makes the character of Dixon so funny is that he’s not written with any condescension – he’s a real flesh-and-blood character, not just a simple caricature.
One would expect a New Zealander (or an Australian for that matter) to tmake all sorts of cheap-shot redneck and dumb American jokes, but thankfully Griffin is much smarter than that. Instead he’s set up a much shrewder show structure, giving Dixon time to win over the audience with a barrage of sharp local references before launching into his first song, a three and a half minute ditty of unrelenting one-liners called ‘Life’. From there we were treated to Dixon’s journey of self-discovery – absurd adventures in search of life’s meaning while on a epic hunt for ‘The Man with No Name’.
Much comparison will be made with Flight of the Conchords, as both acts are folk-singing Kiwis. But this show is all about character comedy and is all the better for it. Droll, witty and musically and verbally literate, Griffin’s star is on the rise. Go and see this show while you can.
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I don’t get Wilson Dixon at all! I went to one of the shows once because I loved the 4 Noels so much but I left scratching my head. Everyone else was laughing but I just didn’t find it funny (and no I’m not dumb I get why it’s supposed to be funny.)
Yeh I don’t get him either – he needs to work on another character. Watching the slow, drawly southerner thing can get a bit boring at times. He does it well, but I’ve seen it too many times now.
I thought this was a great show and the review was spot on!
It’d be easy for Jesse Griffin to exaggerate this type of character, but instead, as the review says he has created ‘a real flesh-and-blood character’. The roundness of the character coupled with the clever stories and delivered with such acute comic timing make Wilson Dixon my top pick for the festival.
I really look forward to seeing any shows he does after this one.
Don’t see why anyone would watch Wilson Dixon when Rich hall’s Otis Lee Crenshaw is more original, funnier and better musically and lyrically. I dont get WD at all. As for Dixon being a rounded real-life character: Just a bunch of C&W cliches.. two thumbs down from me.
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