Paul Williams: Mamiya 7 - Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2024 (VIC)

Presented by Live Nation. Written and performed by Paul Williams.

Reviewed by Justin Clarke

Melb Town Hall - Backstage Room - 100 Swanston St, Melbourne

Until 21st April, 2024

Tickets: https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2024/shows/paul-williams

A tale of love through the photo lens and unhealthy obsessions with silhouettes, Paul Williams is here to give you a real Kinder Surprise this festival season

Fresh off of Taskmaster NZ, Paul Williams presents his dry humoured, and at times widely hysterical story Mamiya 7 at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Armed with his absurd wit, a larger than life container of water, and a handy slide show, Williams is out to take you on a journey of polaroids that led him on a journey throughout LA in search of love.

After purchasing a Mamiya 7 camera off Ebay for an absurd price, Williams very quickly discovered a leftover roll of film inside, the subject of which he fell in love with, despite only seeing their shadow in one image. What follows is Williams’ journey to meet the mysterious silhouette in LA - hey, he thought, this at least has an hour's worth of material in it. This is a tale of love through photography and misplaced obsession, peppered with side stories and moments of very brief, very, very dark humour that nearly forcibly extracts the most laughs from the crowd.

Paul Williams is one to take on for a laid back set with a tale of comedically epic proportions.

Williams drifts around the comedy, using his laid back Kiwi-accent and attitude to make you chuckle gleefully, whilst Williams always remains in control of the comedic wheel. Throughout, there are through line gags that recur throughout and other elements of genuine honesty. Williams singing his song “Los Angeles” in silhouette, sounds like it should be a set up for a joke, but was instead alluringly beautiful to listen to.

With many Kiwi artists on show at this year’s MICF, Paul Williams is one to take on for a laid back set with a tale of comedically epic proportions. If you genuinely want to be surprised by a Kinder Surprise, and want a brief chat about movies whilst seeing Williams chug a barrel of water, then Mamiya 7 should be on your list this festival season.