Edinburgh Fringe 2024
Guy Montgomery: Over 50,000,000 Guy Fans Can’t Be Wrong
Guy Montgomery
Genre: Comedy
Venue: Pleasance Dome
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
Guy Montgomery: Over 50,000 Guy Fans Can’t Be Wrong is the latest stand-up show from the New Zealand comedian. He brings a smile and sense of joy to this one-hour show about his feelings on time, friends, and hair loss.
Review
Guy Montgomery brings an ease to his comedy that few can match. He brings a calm voice that sounds both excited and nurturing. This tone is often quite sharply contrasted by his language, but that makes it all the better. It’s odd to hear a man slag off the audience in a voice usually reserved for primary school story time, but for Guy, it works. He never seems to be angry or mad, he just exudes confidence and shares opinions as fact. These range from renaming GMT (Guy Montgomery Time) to an assertion that women talk too much. These statements form the backbone of the show, setting up joke after joke.
In a non-comedic setting, Guy could be labelled as misogynistic, egotistical, and out of touch. As a comedian, though, this is the character he plays, and he plays it well. This type of humour may not be for everyone, but Montgomery executes the intention behind his comedy with expert precision. The jokes come with ease. When mistakes do happen (although the trajectory of the jokes would point to intentional errors), Montgomery slides past them as if they weren’t there. His punchlines alone wouldn’t be enough for a successful show, so he relies on delivery.
There’s something eerily familiar about who Montgomery presents on stage. His character has the straight white man energy that, rightfully so, is becoming less acceptable in everyday society. This brings up an interesting question then: why does it sell out a fringe run? There may not be an easy answer to this, or an answer at all, but it’s a question that must be considered when evaluating the quality of the show.
Montgomery’s ability to exist as a comedic anomaly speaks volumes to his talent but makes the show possibly lose mass appeal. In a vacuum the show is outstanding, but the pass he seems to be given for his content that others are not remains confounding. It’s either a testament to his talent, or an anomaly that may eventually collapse. Either way, Montgomery presents a great hour of comedy that is sure to, at the least, give you a giggle.
