It’s called “You Wouldn’t Guess It” and that is certainly part of the appeal to this insightful yet warm comedian’s set. You probably wouldn’t quite guess what the hour will be about, what you’ll feel, what you’ll end up laughing at, and what you’ll end up nodding along to. It’s raw and hard hitting at times, diving into topical territories that many others couldn’t dare to venture. Yet, with genuine generosity, Rudy Lee Taurua reveals a great deal about his own experiences, meandering from delightful to gritty, weaving in amusing anecdotes amongst what may be unexpected truths for some. Within the hour, you’ll feel strangely welcomed in, learning about Rudy, his family, his childhood, his addictive history, his lovers, his gripes, and a glimpse of some of the corners where his perceptive mind has meandered.
The audience came away with big grins and chuckles, many mulling over observations they were now teasing out further amongst themselves. While stand-up comedy tends to have a spectrum of a standard formula, Rudy appears to have managed to find his own way and place beyond that. In doing so, he also inspires some deep introspection and further reflection with his conversational-style delivery. Pulling up a chair, you feel less like it’s an ego spewing their philosophy at you and demanding laughs as you feel like it’s a new friend sharing stories and wry observations, inviting you to laugh along or maybe at them.
It’s disarming and warming even as the content gets ruthless at times. A warning that it veers into some territory that some may find more upsetting than distasteful, making light of paedophilia. It’s clearly for the laughs but it seemed jarring amongst the rest of the content which may strike discordant notes but remain ultimately constructive to overall themes in the set.
A South Australian Raw Comedy champion and National Finalist, Rudy has previously been awarded a slew of comedy awards at Adelaide Fringe and it will be unsurprising to see him sweep a similar array at FRINGE WORLD 2021. It’s wall to wall incisive laughs.