UTG @ Melbourne International Comedy Festival: Ronny Chieng – ‘Chieng Reaction’

April 4th, 2014

Brenton Harris

Comic: Ronny Chieng
Show: Chieng Reaction
Venue: The Hi-Fi Bar

It is said that you should never argue with a fool, because they will bring you down to their level and beat you with experience. Well you should also never argue with Ronny Chieng, because he will bring you up to his level, decimate your argument and then leave you rolling around on the floor in fits of laughter as he flips your flawed logic into a punchline and delivers it with devastating effect. This is the reality of arguing with a man who is not only one of the world’s hottest emerging comedians, but also happens to be a graduate of one the finest law schools on Earth, and this duality serves as the crux of his hilarious new show, Chieng Reaction.

Chieng’s intellect is on display from the moment he takes the stage, as he introduces himself by stating, “I’m a down to Earth guy, but I’m getting pretty famous,” and then launches into the first of many cleverly crafted anecdotes about his rather unique set of life experiences. Tackling topics as diverse as his Malay-Chinese ethnicity, his parents’ disappointment with his life choices, the nature of impending fame, gender politics and the perils of aging, Chieng moves confidently through a tightly wound hour of material, utilising a combination of aggression, condescension and whimsy to colour each anecdote and one-liner with a slightly different shade, ensuring the show feels fresh and innovative throughout, even when the source material isn’t.

Highlighted by a hilarious three-minute dissertation upon gender politics through the prism of the music of Kanye West, a rather unique theory on event planning and an epic tale of monumental battle of wills with an Apple Store “Genius,” Chieng Reaction proves that this confident 28-year-old needn’t worry about his parents’ apparent non-acceptance of his career path; the sold-out signs that are up on a school night seem to indicate he has chosen just fine.

While admittedly not as consistently funny as his previous two shows, Chieng Reaction is a much more complete and focused show that proves Chieng to be one of the most astute young comedians the nation has to offer.

A delightfully entertaining hour that offers a refreshingly different perspective on the Australian cultural experience, while remaining continuously relatable throughout, Chieng Reaction should ensure that Ronny Chieng’s name (and his ego) soon outgrows the seven-foot illuminated backdrop it is written upon for the duration of this evening’s performance.