of delivery which he modelled off Connolly. Both performers will use the framework of a story which, in its
most naked form, can come
across as quite plain and
everyday. Connolly recounts
a story of his most recent
trip to Australia, giving his
audience the impression
that he has a point that he
will eventually be arriving
at. However, after hearing
diverting rants that include
a plane flight contains a woman getting
eaten by a crocodile, a radio announcer
fondling a dog, being a pale blue man on
the beach, hanging yourself on a walkman, sharks eating people, being pursued by his own flipper, back to Australia, spiders in jars, a solitary bush in the
desert, dogs screaming at his bollocks,
back to Australia, billboards about stingers, unwrapping presents in the ocean,
swimming with vinegar, an octopus bully… the audience member begins to
ask themselves, “What the hell is going
on? Weren’t we talking about his tour or
something?” The ambiguity created is the
source of misdirection needed which in
term creates the laughs. The story itself
becomes irrelevant.
(VIDEO) - billy connolly australian tour
His return to the original topic time and
time again would reintroduce the audience to what he was originally talking about, while
serving as reminder to how
far he had strayed from the
topic. The realisation of this
would release a bewildered
laugh from the audience
time and time again.
Herein, we begin to see the
value and relevance of a
story. For these masters, it serves simply
as a house for jokes. The story, in this
respect, becomes irrelevant. His jokes,
couched in a tale that is repeatedly forgotten and remembered. Then tossed
aside to talk about fixing a car or fighting
an emu. The result is the blind leading
the blind.
But the genius of Connolly’s comedy is
that he knows what he is doing.
Noble takes a leaf from Connolly’s book.
Repeatedly using his own ‘improvised’
verbal slip ups to provide him with an excuse to go on a monster tangent; we accept the notion that he is telling us about
a trip to New Zealand and his interaction
with a customs officer.