LIKE many school leavers, Xavier Toby wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with his life.
He spent two years as an engineer, but was bored and wanted to break free.
So he quit his job to follow his dreams, diving head-first into the sink-or-swim world of stand-up comedy.
A keen writer, he dabbled in journalism and backpacked around the world before returning to comedy.
On the back of sell-out seasons at the Melbourne and Adelaide Fringe festivals, the Williamstown resident is bringing his show Binge Thinking to this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
More than simply stand-up, the show is a comedy/theatre hybrid set at a dinner party, where three self-obsessed, middle-class couples are represented on stage by alcohol bottles, for which Toby provides the voices.
They’ve ceased caring about anything but amassing material possessions, and over the course of the performance, their opinions are dissected in an attempt to figure out why evolution is going backwards.
During what is described as a show with a social conscience, the 33-year-old covers issues as diverse as immigration, education, the environment, terrorism and the economy.
“Coming from a writing background, I wanted to have a show with a narrative – a beginning, a middle and an end,” Toby says.
“The dinner party setting is something to which everybody can relate and they’ll also be able to identify with the characters.
“A lot of people my age are starting to settle down and they often become insular with few opinions or interests, other than what’s happening in their own or their families’ lives.”
For Toby, the adrenalin rush of standing on stage not knowing how people will react to his material is a feeling like no other.
“The best part of being a comedian is the instant feedback provided by the audience,” he says.
“As soon as you tell a joke, you know straight away whether it’s worked or not.”
While there’s no magic formula for comedy, Toby believes it’s all about keeping it simple.
“The best comedians make you feel as though you’re just having a conversation with them at the pub,” he says.
“Regardless of how many times you go on stage, it always feels great to make people laugh.”
Binge Thinking is at the Irish Times, 427 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, at 9.30pm from April 5-21 (except Wednesdays). Tickets are $18 adults and $15 concession. Bookings: comedyfestival.com.au or at the door.
