Dan Rath - Help Me Please

Dan Rath is a certified freak (complimentary). This wasn’t my first Rath rodeo, so I was well prepared for his bug-eyed demeanour and staccato rhythm of nihilistic anti-comedy. He is the antithesis of run-of-the-mill white-bread stand-up comedy, a beautiful mind all of his own. There are no transitions, no hand-holding of the audience into a new topic and definitely no incentive from Rath in getting a “comedian roasts heckler” viral moment - what you are seeing is a crumpled mess of a man who seems under duress, staring down the barrel of the stage and delivering some of the most off-the-wall (and incredible) punchlines of this festival. 

Rath is like an alien lifeforce brought to Earth, keeping the audience on their toes by evading the obvious as he spits out a frenetic unravelling of political observations and self-flagellating thoughts. It’s an acceleration into absurdity, as Rath cuts the show with little fanfare and impeccably timed prop work, leaving the audience in awe of his genius.