Reviewed by: Fringefeed
Review by Weng Chow | 11 February 2019

Previously earning his keep on Sydney’s many building construction sites, Billy D’Arcy has since progressed from telling funny stories to his fellow tradies during smoko to telling hilarious jokes to punters at comedy gigs and clubs throughout Australia.

Handpicked to perform for the Sydney Comedy Festival Roadshow in 2018 and a 2017 Triple J Raw Comedy Finalist, Billy performs for the first time at FRINGE WORLD and he certainly doesn’t disappoint.

Much like his hometown of Manly, Billy’s comedy is casual, unassuming, and laidback.

He delivers his jokes and punchlines with the nonchalance of a 23 year old comic who knows he’s got his whole life and career ahead of him as he glides through topics like Australian culture, online dating, and life as a millennial.

The Background Lad delves into Billy’s hilarious thoughts on life and his place in Australian society and how he’s tried to go along to get along.

He discusses the banter that occurs in the building and construction industry and effortlessly riffs with the audience making jokes at their expense in the same way that tradies playfully rib each other onsite.

While there are one or two lulls in his one-hour set, Billy delivers a funny and enjoyable show that provides plenty of moments of raucous laughter and uncontrollable giggling.

Billy is an up and coming talent and his show is easily worth more than the price of admission.

Not only because he demonstrates excellent comedic utility with his use of self-deprecating humour, impressive improvisation skills, and funny punchlines but because he literally had to carry out all the administrative duties of his own gig when the support staff went AWOL.

He checked the ticketing, he emceed, and he introduced himself, for his own show. Who says millennials don’t work hard?