My colleagues asked me what I was doing on this fine Friday, and I explained to them that I was attending a show called TOD Talks, which I had never been to before. I went on to tell them I always find comedy very hit or miss; it’s either really good or really bad – there typically is no middle ground. Thankfully, this evening of TOD Talks happened to be one of those really good nights where the improv landed and the laughs were plentiful.

TOD Talks takes improv to the next level, asking the comedians to stand on stage all by themselves, backed by a presentation they have never seen before. The presentations themselves have no rhyme or reason, include a dash of Nicolas Cage, and move through at a haphazard pace. Studio Underground in the State Theatre also serves as a great and daunting venue for the show, with the audience looking down at centre stage. While not every comedian hit the mark with their TOD Talks, I was still thoroughly impressed by their ability to give this format a try, even finding myself wondering if I would try it for myself one day (highly unlikely).

I can’t guarantee that every night will be the same experience I had, as each show features a new line-up of comedians. I will, however, trust that Perth’s lovely comedy scene brings their A-game if you decide you want to take a gamble and watch some TOD Talks.