Joshua Perkins: “Netflix & Dill”

An unexpected benefit of having attended The Gong Show preview was a chance to see the opener and headliner of Netflix & Dill, both of whom were the most successful performers of the night, as measured by lack of flags.

Elmar Abbasov, of Tallinn’s Alien Comedy, had the crowd laughing early and often with a self-deprecating sweetness and sharp observations — sometimes crass, always frank — that come from time spent as a local outsider in Estonia. His depth of experience in the country and lighthanded tone were a perfect set-up for the show to follow.

A long-time resident and English-language teacher in Latvia, Joshua Perkins’ front-of-the-classroom skills are evident in his crowd work, which made him stand out from other Gong Show competitors. In full-length format, he’s able to unfold these exchanges into entire conversations. Perkins’ comedy is a blend of puns, quips, and field linguistics particularly suited to a crowd of adults for whom English is more likely a lingua franca rather than a native tongue. 

Perkins is a dynamic comic who leads with energy, even when the venue’s green room is, literally, a sauna. While his general themes are familiar and appropriate for the 20- and 30-somethings filling the space — work, dating, disappointing your parents — he covers much more, including affably chatting about family suicides and morning-after Hare Krishnas. His storytelling is distinctly international, an approach dancing somewhere between immigrant and expat. As he deadpans about his comedy: “This isn’t my Plan A.” But it is something he does well and clearly enjoys doing.

One of Perkins’ greatest strengths, as a comedian and, I imagine, as an educator, is his responsiveness to his audience. Not all comics (or teachers) are gifted with the ability to read the room; sometimes crowd work feels more like a box-ticking exercise than actual engagement. A question directed to the public without actually wanting a response makes for a weak segue, particularly if someone dares answer loud enough to get a laugh: that’s how a comedy show becomes a lecture hall.

For Perkins, every joke was an opportunity for him to check in and change direction if need be, adjusting in real time to the feedback coming from the audience. His familiarity with his material and facility with the language meant he could tailor his delivery to maximize laughs. Some comedians might double down on a joke that falls flat; Perkins has another to offer, puts it out there, and carries on. His comfort with staying in the moment and being attentive makes him a comic worth keeping an eye out for around the Baltics, even if you missed his sets at Tallinn Fringe.

The full Fringe program can be viewed here.

Author: Laurie