Corey Spence
A show about sex and millennials, Eli Matthewson’s The Year of Magical Fucking unleashes a terrifying secret: Millennials are having less sex than their parents! Between a string of bedroom tooltips, Matthewson explores humorous (possibly a little too real) life stories and makes laughable yet arguably true social commentary. As a fan of FAITH, his 2015 NZ International Comedy Festival show, Matthewson once again leaves a lasting impression on me.
Matthewson is a confident comedian with a chill attitude. This creates a casual yet friendly atmosphere. His natural charm allures me into the comedy; throughout it, I feel like I’m having a goss with my good buddy Eli. This charming, friendly aura pillows the ground should any of his jokes miss the mark, and because he is rather quick on the fly, Matthewson immediately revives any jokes that didn’t score perfect 10s — only to make them score 20s instead.
The audience is one of Matthewson’s prime sources to help fuel and extend his comedy. He is quick-witted and highly attentive, and thus allows the show to develop and travel down exciting tangents. If we, his audience, are reacting to a joke or idea in particular, like his memories with high school sex education, he’ll pull the focus around this idea or gives it a second (or even third) coat of paint before moving forward. When we show a positive reaction to his entrance joke, he lets it sit a little longer and builds from it, creating more bang for our buck. This is the mark of someone who knows how to work the crowd, and a performer with the flexibility to adapt their routine to what their crowd responds to.
Subverting your audience’s expectations isn’t something new, but Matthewson is a master, firing punchlines from where we least expect them to come from. It’s as though he leads his audience to the sales rack only to convince us all we desperately need the $200 coat instead. Here, his comic timing shines; he knows just how to punctuate each punchline and oscillates between cheeky banter, one-liners, and storytelling. The Year of Magical Fucking takes us on one exciting journey.
Personally, I find Matthewson’s routine quite accessible. The show includes recurring references to well-known movies, millennial priorities, Cosmopolitan-style sex tips, and gay dating. Yet, I never felt out of place when there was a joke I didn’t quite get, and the roaring laughter from everyone else has me assuming they were of the same mindset. The layers to his comedy means those who understand or ‘get’ every layer benefit from a bigger dessert, but everyone still gets to satisfy their comedy sweet tooth. Our erupting laughter throughout Matthewson’s performance evidences just how much fun the show is and how much fun it is to watch. The Year of Magical Fucking isn’t just for any particular person or group; it’s inclusive for anyone who wishes to have a good laugh and a good time.
The Year of Magical Fucking combines its different focal points effectively, creating a cohesive performance full of well-crafted and clever humour, delivered by one of the most charming and engaging comedians I’ve ever seen. Tonight, I leave the Fringe Bar uplifted, with a smile planted firmly across my face and cheeks a little sore from all my laughter. Eli Matthewson is sure to make you giggle and yaaas emphatically.
The Year of Magical Fucking continues its Wellington season at the Fringe Bar until Saturday 13 May, then moves up for an Auckland season at The Basement Theatre between Tuesday 16 May and Saturday 20 May. Find out more on the NZ International Comedy Festival’s website.
Please note: Edits have been made to this review post-publishing for brevity.