Review: JKS, A Comedy (?) by Tom Ballard, Trades Hall, Melbourne Fringe

Review by Susanne Dahn

The question mark in the title of this piece is just as much trigger warning as the one about the language in it.  Is it funny the piece asks – what do you think?

We all love to peek behind the scenes into other world’s we don’t belong to but are curious about.

What DO stand-up comics do backstage before they come out for their set? 

What do they do when a legend in their field has just died - a legend who some thought hilarious and others considered a racist, homophobic and misogynistic bigot?

What happens when they begin to wonder about the point of it all? Whether what they do adds anything to the world or whether it does harm?



This play, written by and featuring Tom Ballard and directed by Ben Russell, dives right into the murky territory of what is allowed to be funny in contemporary comedy.

It sets up a combat zone between the two lead male characters - the topical ABC woke lens of humour of Alex energetically played by Ballard against the straight cis male champion of insult comedy in the form of  clever bogan Jase played to great effect by actor Kevin Hofbauer.

Jase argues that cancel culture and virtue signalling have gone too far and that comedy should just be about getting a laugh using any means possible even, and possible especially, if it’s offensive, cruel and dehumanising. It’s after all, only a joke.

Alex argues that comedy has consequences and that comedians have a moral and civic responsibility to be decent, respectful and fair. Because comedy has the capacity to help people be a little less alone, a little less scared. The problem for Alex is that he does this in an equally shouty and combative way as Jase.

The supporting characters, three female comics May, Rhi and Chris (played beautifully by actor Tiana Hogben and two great comics Jordan Barr and Nicky Barry) seem to have the key role of trying to dampen down the male fury.  

Ultimately they all get sick of it and point out the unimportance of the whole fight. Plot wise this leaves the audience back where we started and wondering what all the heavy breathing was about.

It actually IS timely to reflect on what is and can and even should be funny on our stages today and, for this reflection, Ballard’s concept of this play deserves positive recognition.

Mark Twain’s observation that “against the assault of laughter, nothing can stand” is often used to highlight the transformative power of humour.  That humour can break down barriers, confront difficult issues, open fresh perspectives and enable genuine growth and learning.  

Using laughter in service of these goals is the opportunity lost in this piece. Each of the characters do make us laugh a few times but they also make us uncomfortable, annoyed and even disgusted at the use of comedy that is just not funny. 

Has the power of commanding a stage gone to their heads ? Do we really need to be lectured, and hectored and bullied and harangued into siding with the shrillest, loudest voice ?

The finest moments of this work were the genuinely funny moments when the humour isn’t at the cost or expense of anyone. Punching down and being smug are rarely funny.

More funny and less fierce might have relaxed both the players and the audience to be able to more easily get the centrally important point behind this piece.

Laughter can indeed be shortest distant between differences and enable connections between people as playfulness can soften uncomfortable truths.  We know that laughter can powerfully awaken both the mind and the heart.In times old it was often the Fool character who not only had the biggest insights into what was going on but could safely tell that truth to power, not just to entertain but to awaken.  How apt then that May, the lovely young clown character in this piece, wins over the audience while the others in their self-indulgent fog and fury, just  fail and fall.

Image Supplied