Dead To Me: A Comedy Ghost Tour review

In Dead To Me: A Comedy Ghost Tour, comedian Matt Bell not only talks us through the second most terrifying experience of his existence but he literally takes us there. An encounter with a guy he matched on Hinge with provides some brilliant material that leaves him wondering if this is the most unhinged person to come into his life.
 
We meet Bell at the Melbourne Town Hall and we are presented with a pair of headphones in which Bell speaks to us with. A little bit of housekeeping and we are off to our first location from this infamous date. We are led to restaurants, bars, cafes and entertainment venues (it was a long night) and get filled in on all the sordid details.

Bell has a nice rhythm to his world building that matches the persona he projects: awkward, stumbling and not quite sure of himself. This also helps answer the main question running through our heads as the evening gets more and more strange: "why didn't you leave!?!?!". Even as a scripted work, it appears as if he is going off the cuff and recalling those memories in the very moment he is sharing them with us, setting up a more relaxed and friendly environment.
 
While the journey is a fun, often jaw-dropping adventure, the destination is a bit of a fizzler. As Bell says, there's no revelation here, but there needs to be a plan to bring this together without having to be told we've reached the conclusion of the show. The ending doesn't offer the sense of closure or disbelief that is necessary in a story such as this.
 
There is a decent amount of walking around the CBD in this "ghost tour", and as we build up those steps, Bell has created a great playlist that would put those Silent Discos to shame. Initially it seemed that the music would be linked to the anecdote we heard or the one we are about to hear. At one point we listen to "Every Breathe You Take" by The Police just after we've been informed of some stalkerish behaviour occurring, but the rest of the time, the songs are pop tunes and it seems like a missed opportunity to keep us in the date by linking the narrative and the music.
 
Dead To Me: A Comedy Ghost Tour is a charming escapade - unlike the actual date - that allows you to relive the horrors of the dating game (and potentially your own ones) minus the anxiety of having to be there. Bell displays a good grasp of storytelling and regardless of whether this all actually happened, it remains entertaining, and what else could you want from a comedy show?

SHOW DETAILS

Venue: Arts Centre Melbourne, 100 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne
Season: until 1 February | Thurs - Sat 7.30pm
Duration: 60 mins
Tickets: $25 Full | $20 Conc
Bookings: Midsumma Festival