Russell Kane is a well known face at  the Melbourne International Comedy Festival; his cheeky toothy grin and awesome hairstyles have brought so much joy to many that it’s hard not to have already formed a positive opinion about him as I line up with the crowd. It’s a sold out show tonight and the applause is deafening as Kane takes to the stage, responding to crowd’s love like a moth to the flame.

Kane’s energy is infectious as he prances across the stage, warming up the audience as he takes the piss out of every nationality in the room. His gift for accents is truly remarkable, and within minutes the crowd is besotted.

A self-confessed metrosexual, working class boy and Prius driver, Kane has been performing stand-up and winning awards since his mid-twenties. His cheeky demeanour and self-deprecating comments win audiences over immediately, and he is at ease on the stage. Even when he is sidetracked and loses his place, it is hilariously smooth.

The title of Kane’s show refers to his childhood home, which due to his family’s ability to pay for their council flat and the subsequent taunting they received from their neighbours, Kane refers to as the “castle”. At the centre of the castle is Kane’s dad, an intimidating caricature of a man, whose persona Kane slips on and off like a jacket despite his skin tight jeans and “effeminate leggo hairstyle”.

Although the laughs are loud and constant, there is a touch of poignancy and absolute love that underlies the gags, all building to a truly touching moment at the end of the show.

Kane is an extraordinarily gifted comic who is well deserving of the hype that surrounds him. You’ll be disappointed if you miss him.