Danny Bhoy is one of the most well-known names in world comedy and consistently sells out Sydney’s biggest venues when he tours every few years. Playing two shows in the slightly smaller City Recital Hall this year (which the Scottish comedian remarked upon at the start of his set), Bhoy returned to Australia with a follow-up show to his 2015 tour Dear Epson, this time titling the show Dear World, as he went through various letters of complaint that he had written to companies around the world. 

With the more structured part of the show taking up the majority of the time on stage, Bhoy was at his best when he was riffing off the audiences and performing in a freer way. His comedic timing and sharp wit is among the absolute best in the business and this was on display from the minute he walked on stage, engaging hilariously with members of the audience who had distinctive laughs as well as those who walked in late or tried to exit early. The audience was in stitches every time he made a witty off-the-cuff quip and these jokes flowed freely throughout the set. 

Bhoy was also strong when he related the humour back to Australia, with his references to $7 coffees getting a lot of laughs. His accent work was also strong, with both his Australian and American accents being very convincing. 

There were also some very funny moments during Bhoy’s letters, with complaints to British Airways as well as the original quip to Epson getting a lot of laughs. Bhoy did well to relate the humour of each letter back to previous letters, and the letters themselves provided a useful structure for the show. His jokes about the misleading nature of Olay and Clinique’s advertising were especially amusing as Bhoy nailed the absurdity of these issues. However, at times, the letters felt a little contrived and it seemed as though the audience responded much better when Bhoy was at his improvisational best, especially at the start and end of the set. 

Bhoy has a reputation for relatively incisive comedy and this show was no exception, with jokes about the global political situation that extended beyond the obvious and a hint of social commentary littered through his letters. However, the comedy was also pitched at an accessible level so that there was a lot there even for those who weren’t as invested in the political comedy. Bhoy has excellent timing and this was on display throughout the show, with a lot of jokes landing much better thanks to his excellent delivery.  

Overall, this was a fantastic show, with Bhoy showing off his comic genius in a compact 70 minute set, filled with considered jokes as well as clever improvisation. While the letter writing did feel somewhat trite at some points, the comedy on display meant that this could be easily ignored as Bhoy made sure that the audience had a fantastic time. While Bhoy hinted during the show that he may be reaching the end of his career, he still brings the laughs like few others in comedy so one can only hope that he will be back in Australia very soon. 

Rating: ★★★★

Danny Bhoy – City Recital Hall – 24 April 2025