Big Al
Life On A Budget
The Elephant, British Pub
Until Sat 15 March


Being born and raised in the lower-socioeconomic northern suburbs of Adelaide can present many hurdles in life, but how you deal with such inherent setbacks is another thing. As many a good comedian has shown, the best way to get through adverse times is with laughter.

Big Al is now 28 years old and is still living at home with his still struggling parents. He is still, as he puts it, living on a budget. As soon as Al steps on stage just his very presence makes you want to laugh and assuredly smile at the same time by just knowing that what's to follow is going to be gut busting, friggin' hilarious and endearingly personal. Because as he's hinted at in the past in much shorter shows, he's got a lot of material to work with and he's not afraid to use it.

Big Al grew up as an overweight Housing Trust kid with a mullet and his school uniform was track suit pants and roman sandals: he never stood a chance. From this he cheerfully (yes, you read right) recounts all the hardships of being bullied all through primary school (by his own sister, no less), and home crafted Christmas gifts and dodgy camping trips.

We then follow Al's story as he slip n' slides his way into adolescence and ambitionless menial employment, right up to the present day. Big Al may never have had a lot of money, but what he lacks in capital riches he most certainly makes up for with heart and one monstrously sized sense of humour. You'd have to agree that this guy is larger than life.

Steve Jones