linda lokhee

In the Sydney Comedy Festival’s showcase, Malaysian comedians Kavin Jay, Rizel Van Geyzel, and Papi Zak took to the stage at the Riverside Theatre. They delivered a set filled with relatable anecdotes to an audience, the majority it seemed from their mother country, of their cultural observations. Their performances provided not only a glimpse into Malaysian life but also a humorous take on the quirks of everyday experiences in family and social life.

Kavin Jay opened the night with a blend of storytelling and observational comedy. His routine featured hilarious tales about his family, particularly his “Drugstore Aunty,” who dispenses medication to relatives for every conceivable ailment, even ignoring the seven year use-by date! Kavin Jay related personal stories and showed some into cross-border humour, joking about his neighbouring country, Singapore. His quips about the low crime rates there led to some laughter, especially the absurd image of a car chase lasting only 15 minutes before the criminal had to turn back due to the country’s tiny size. Kavin Jay’s jokes ventured into talking about everyone’s favourite topic- food. I particularly liked his view of the good old Bunnings sausage sizzle, as a culinary adventure fraught with danger.

Papi Zak followed Kavin Jay. His routine was a vibrant mix of observational humour and playful banter. He had a good rapport with the audience, which was a natural follow on, having had experiences hosting TV shows like The Halal Foodie and Happy Endings. Papi Zak was not shy about celebrating his own generous size, calling himself “Malaysia’s biggest comedian, (in size!)” and sharing his experiences with food and getting away with breaking some rules, by speaking in his American accent. It was funny to hear Papi Zak tell his stories in his American accent and peppering in Malaysian traditional sayings of “ay -yah!” and “lah!”. It was clever of Papi Zak to integrate Sydney’s unpredictable weather into his comedy routine, given our changeable current day to day weather, and this bit of localised humour enamoured him to the crowd.

Rizel Van Geyzel rounded out the trio with his positive energy that kept the audience engaged. Rizel’s easygoing retelling of stories relaxed listeners. One stand out part of the set was when he unveiled the ‘world’s sexiest Asian accent (according to a survey)’ -the Filipino accent! The introduction to this topic was entertaining, particularly with his anecdote about mishearing something a Filipino waiter had asked him, which had the audience in stitches.

His humour poking fun at himself shone through when he joked about being half Chinese and his amazing ability to grow facial hair, which perhaps some Chinese men relate to – as they are generally not seen with full beards and moustaches!

Another amusing moment was when Rizel talked about the Malaysian cultural practice of taking off his shoes when he went inside his non-Asian friend’s house. This personal story, where this custom was met with confusion by his friends, was enjoyable.

The night took a fun twist when Rizel introduced a special guest, Thomas, whom he had met on a plane on the way to Australia. Giving Thomas the chance to perform stand-up added an unexpected yet enjoyable element to the show. Thomas’s joke was well-received, and watching a comedian support a fellow funny person by giving him the opportunity to perform on stage and share his joke, was truly heartwarming.

Together, Kavin Jay, Papi Zak and Rizel offered an evening that celebrated not only the richness of Malaysian culture, but also the universal language of laughter. Their ability to weave personal narratives with broader social commentary left the audience in a good mood. Their performances were a testament to the power of comedy in bridging cultural gaps and highlighting shared human experiences.

The Malaysian Comedy Allstars was hosted at the Lennox Theatre inside Riverside Theatres in Parramatta and is part of the Sydney Comedy Festival.

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