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Review: Dilruk Jayasinha- Cheat Day(s)

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is back! One of my favourite times of year. It's just cold enough to bring out the cute scarves and jackets, but not so cold that you refuse to leave the house. The streets are full of happy people, and Melbourne seems a little bit more shiny, reminding us why we love it here.



If you haven't seen Dilruk for awhile, you may be surprised when you see him, for he has lost a fair bit of weight. If you have never seen him before, well, he used to be bigger.
How he made the decision to lose weight, how he did it, and the struggle of keeping it off, is the basis of this year's show.

Cheat Day(s) is an honest account of weight loss. Not just the exercise and the eating, but the emotional journey that Dil has gone on, digging deep to discover why it is he put on weight in the first place. I think this is a really important show, for a few reasons. I think it's rare for people to discuss weight loss in a way that isn't preachy, or referencing fad diets, and even more rare to discuss the psychological reasons behind weight gain. Also, it's not often that you hear men talk about these topics, so I think it will be really useful for a a lot of people. Plus, to talk about these topics and be really funny is such a talent, and something Dil does really well. 

It's easy to make fun of being fat, whether it's yourself or someone else. It's harder to make weight loss funny, but Dil does it, while also being sensitive towards himself, and other people that may be experiencing the same thing. But if you've seen Dil's shows before you shouldn't be surprised, I think he's proved that he can make just about anything funny.

Cheat Day(s) is funny, relatable, and is full of Dil's usual excellent storytelling. It's great, go and
see it!


If you want to know more about Dil's experience with weight loss, you can check out his podcast, FitBet, where Dil and fellow comedian Ben Lomas make a bet to see who can get to under 100kg first, the winner getting $1000. I also highly recommend listening to Dil on Wilosophy with Wil Anderson (it's one of the most recent episodes, so it should be easy to find). It is the perfect accompaniment to this show, and it was a really great episode. If that isn't enough podcasts for you, you can also find Dil on many episodes of both The Little Dum Dum Club, and Don't You Know Who I Am?.


The important questions:
How long? 60 minutes
Should I be scared to sit in the front row? Maybe. He does talk to the crowd a little bit, especially if you draw attention to yourself
Is there a bar at the venue? Yes
Will I enjoy this? Yes, especially if you appreciate an honest, hilarious account of losing weight


You can catch Dil's show at the Comedy Festival until April 21, tickets here: https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2019/shows/cheat-day-s

More Comedy Festival tips:

If driving, book your parking before you go, most of them are only about $10, and there's lots of options, so you're likely to get something close to your venue: https://www.wilsonparking.com.au/book-a-bay You can also earn some Velocity Frequent Flyer points, which is a bonus.

See someone new! It's fun to go and see new comedians, why not take a risk and see someone you've never heard of? They're also usually a lot cheaper than the big names! Why not try something a bit different too, as well as stand-up there's lots of improv and other types of comedy to see. Head to Town Hall and you'll be handed lots of flyers and be able to grab some last minute tickets.

Support Light The Way Home, a program that allows performers in need a safe way home from the festival. Many performers are new and have late shows, and aren't earning heaps of money, so the cost of an Uber or taxi every night can really add up. Light The Way Home is collecting donations, which the Festival is matching up to $10,000. It's a great idea, especially for the more vulnerable members of the comedy community. You can donate here: https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/light-the-way-home



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