JKS: a Comedy(?) review | Melbourne International Comedy Festival | fortyfivedownstairs

In JKS: a Comedy(?), five comedians linger in a scrappy pub venue Green Room, killing time between sets by complaining about a tough crowd and taking cheap shots at each other. It’s loose, familiar territory, until the sudden death of a trailblazer in the Australian stand-up scene cracks something open. What begins as banter quickly spirals into a full-blown argument on the limits of comedy, the power of language, and who gets to decide what should, or shouldn’t, be a joke.
 
At the centre of this story are two opposing voices. Jase, a man of colour (Kevin Hofbauer), argues that nothing should be off-limits, that a joke on rape or paedophilia is not endorsing it. For him, comedy is about observation, not approval. On the other side is Alex, a gay, white man (Tom Ballard), who insists that comics have a responsibility to avoid punching down, and that intent does not cancel out impact.

Ballard also serves as writer for JKS: a Comedy(?), and he threads in witty jokes throughout, landing strong references to Aussie pop culture, from Hey Dad..! to Barry Humphries, alongside pointed nods to actual instances of abuse of power within the comedy world, both locally and internationally. The humour often bites, even when the subject matter is uncomfortable.
 
The men circle one another for most of the show, and while their positions are thoughtful and worth hearing, the debate starts to get stuck in a loop. At 70 minutes, the back-and-forth begins to repeat itself, circling the same points without much escalation, making it feel frustrating and wearing thin.
 
This is further compounded by a supporting cast who are largely sidelined. Bree (Lauren Bonner) is given little to work with until late in the piece, only to land on the conclusion that both sides are equally exhausting. May (Tiana Hogben), a non-binary newcomer with an easy charm, is especially underused, mostly deployed for well-timed clowning rather than contributing meaningfully to the central discourse. It’s a missed opportunity, particularly when the show is clearly invested in standing up for minorities. Bev Killick, as the veteran comic Chris, is similarly kept on the periphery, reduced to a mouthpiece for how things were done “back in the day”.
 
Still, there’s an ease to the group dynamic. The performers bounce off each other naturally, and the casual, ribbing energy of comics backstage rings true. Although the material isn’t a stretch for them, the ensemble sells the rhythm of the world. Despite the setting being confined to a single room with four chairs, director Ben Russell keeps the staging active. Characters are constantly moving with purpose, stepping into their mutual space or pulling away at key moments, the physical proximity heightening the tension as the clash of views gathers pace.

JKS: a Comedy(?) has a relevant and timely premise, even if the execution doesn’t always sustain its momentum. It offers no clean resolution. It can’t, really. Every point is met with a counterpoint, each one unravelled by the next. The conversation folds in on itself, unresolved and likely unresolvable. Fittingly, it’s the clown who ends up winning over the audience, leaving stand-up comedians looking like the real jokers, outpaced by a form of comedy that isn’t trying to win an argument.

SHOW DETAILS

Venue: fortyfivedownstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Season: 4pm Saturday 11 April and 
Saturday 18 April, and 3pm Sunday 19 April
Duration: 60 minutes
Tickets: $48 - $52 Full | $45 Conc

Bookings: Melbourne International Comedy Festival