Stop Being Silly

Sam Simmons makes a mess of stand-up by rejecting the traditional set-up, punchline format in favor of a frantic, chaotic landscape of oddball props, pre-recorded audio cues, and aggressive food flinging. This is a best-of compilation of his most acclaimed absurdist material, where he bounces between absolute paranoia and aggressive silliness, daring the audience to either join in or head for the exit. He paces the stage using kangaroo claws for hands, skitters through a bizarre game of ‘carpet or floor,’ and utilizes a pre-recorded track to argue with a cynical heckler voiced by Josie Long.

Recorded live at the Comedy Theatre in Melbourne as part of Stan’s 2017 One Night Stan series of specials, Stop Being Silly captures Simmons at a career high point. Having recently won both the Edinburgh Comedy Award and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s Barry Award for Spaghetti for Breakfast, Simmons used this performance to synthesize his trademark routines. The set features some of his most infamous premises, including a breakdown of everyday irritants in his ‘Things That Shit Me’ list, a detailed fantasy of drowning in a Viennetta ice cream cake, and various nonsensical detours involving millionaire cats.