REVIEW: Wil Anderson - Wilegal

5 Stars!


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Rosemary Walton

Wil Anderson has to be just about the perfect dinner party guest. His ability to spin a yarn and craft both writing and telling stories is unmatched. And in ‘Wilegal’, he has a cracker of a story to tell.

The exact events of his infamous flight to the Wagga Wagga Comedy Festival have never been shared before… until now.

Hear Rosie's Review on this morning's Hot Breakfast: 

In just over an hour at the Comedy Theatre, Anderson takes his audience through every gory, ridiculous, hilarious detail, including his fall out with the captain and flight attendants, having the handcuffs slapped on and being imprisoned, his interview with the cops, then all the way back home to his poor dogs.

It would be understandable if Wil had chosen to focus on the events in this year’s MICF Show (his 22nd year in a row performing at the festival) to clear his name or “set the record straight”. But he isn’t in the slightest defensive or resentful. It just seems to be that, even after all he went through, he just thought the whole thing was bloody funny.

And it is.

What shines through from the second Anderson walks out into the strobing spotlights (deliberately reflecting prison searchlights, you have to assume), places his two bottles of beer and one bottle of water onto his stool, grab the mic and starts talking, here is an absolute master of stand-up.

The structure of the show is incredible. The story is beautifully paced, the gags are numerous, the delivery impeccable. I counted 11 callbacks (yes, I know that’s pretty sad. I’ve done it so you don’t have to), and each was funnier than the last, building right up to his return home, where even in the plush seats of a Melbourne theatre months after the event, the audience fully felt the emotional exhaustion he experienced after his ordeal.

Wil Anderson is just an absolutely phenomenal stand-up comedian. We know we’re biased, but we’re (and here we mean Triple M and Australia) bloody lucky to have him.

And if you have tickets for any of his remaining nights, you’re bloody lucky too. If you don’t, get your hands on some now.

5 Stars!

Wil Anderson performs Wilegal at Comedy Theatre, Melbourne Wed-Sun until April 22). Tickets and details here.

Matt Bellotti

6 April 2018

Article by:

Matt Bellotti




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