At Underbelly Bristo Square, Dan Rath’s self-deprecating comedy hour Pariah Carey is a medley of absurd, twisted, nihilistic and cucked comedy. Jumping around from topic to topic, with a healthy dose of everything-is-going-wrong crowd work, Rath is a dispossessed clown to his baffled and eager audience.
Describing the set as “the lived experience of a neurodivergent storyteller with a micropenis,” the Australian explores health and relationships in such a unique and desperate voice that the punchlines often caught me completely off guard. Although some material felt unrelated to the Edinburgh crowd, the fast pace meant I was thoroughly entertained by the shenanigans.
Rath’s timing is impeccable, often sighing and letting us sit in silence before divulging something that should never be disclosed in public. Segues are hard as Bo Burnham says, however I did not want this constantly reenergising word vomit to stop. Rath encourages awkwardness and throws it back at you, a truly brilliant comic.
Dan Rath: Pariah Carey has now finished its run.
Image provided to The Student as press material.