For any other comedian, it would be a bit concerning that the only prop on stage is a giant notepad displaying the barely visible word, ‘Notes’. The Foxglove Ballroom does not suit a low-tech prop and looking around, it’s likely the patrons all have an i-pad for taking notes and a Wii for keeping fit. 

Jeremy does us the pleasure of introducing himself from the back of the room so it takes a few moments for us to stop searching and realise… He’s behind us. Given the establishment, I’m sure some people thought the show might actually be via hologram.

‘Notes’, it is revealed, is a show about the occupation of a comedian. Or rather the preoccupation of sharing stories that happen to be a bit funny. When he walks into a bar what does he get asked as a comedian? Tell us a joke. He responds with no. Every time.

I myself am trying (!) to get a job in radio. And when people ask what I study, they always follow up with a ‘do your radio voice!’. I always say no. We relate instantly.

Jeremy is armed with quick wit and some seriously speedy synaptic connections. He interacts with the audience in a respectful manner, but uses them still as a means to an end with the “where are you from?” question. Being so tactful and only slightly offending his targets, we can forgive him for using that old classic line to get the ball rolling.

After he reveals where comedians get their material from, we embark on a criminal, geographical and religious journey; all of which have a certain political undertone. How do these things intertwine you might ask? They all reveal how stupid people can be.

From bestiality being on par with being gay to Gareth Morgan’s eradication of felines; from the Pope’s ‘resignation’ to the reign of guns in America … he helps us see that perhaps we should listen more carefully to what the media is telling us, think, and only then form an opinion. 

Punch lines are sharp, and not at all tacky. He flows like lava with barely an um or an ah unintended. His tangents and anecdotes are totally relevant and he always picks us up at the point he leaves which makes us feel emotionally secure and his show pretty darn smooth.  

If I were to describe him as a bowl of wedges, he would be seasoned with a bit of spice and a dash of cheese. This bowl is the real deal.

He’s the guy you’d want at a party to give the illusion that you possess some intelligence reflected in the people you hang out with. But he’s not the guy you’d take to Sunday Mass with your Mum for fear his note-taking would offend the parishioners.

Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer