The Daily Show presenter, Trevor Noah, released his Netflix comedy special, Son of Patricia earlier this week, and it is well worth a watch. The show is ever-entertaining, filled to the brim with insightful anecdotes about tacos, snakes and racism. Noah is a charming performer and expert storyteller, with a calm confidence and a powerful stage presence.
Son of Patricia balances its political conversation with some lighter material, and it’s all equally hilarious. Noah quickly won me over, with an early anecdote expressing his (extremely valid) frustration with the popularity of camping. He plays a confused tourist to the concept of living in harsh conditions for fun – a role he often assumes throughout the show. Noah uses this fresh, yet logical perspective to draw attention to small absurdities in everyday life.
The highlight of the show was Noah’s retelling of his visit to a snake whisperer’s performance in Bali. Maybe it was just because I related to Noah’s realistic amount of caution around snakes (which really shouldn’t be such a weird thing). Noah, being the intelligent person he is, ensured he remained a considerable distance away from the snakes, despite being mocked for his (understandable) fear by the French father and son next to him in the crowd. Noah cleverly draws in the audience as the story builds, showcasing his expertise in the art of effective storytelling. He held me captive right up until the tale’s oh-so-satisfying confusion, in which his fears proved to be completely valid. (Although I’m not sure whether I appreciated that my own fear of snakes was also completely validated. In fact, my fears are now stronger than ever – thanks Trevor.)
Noah’s South African perspective shines throughout the show, as he details his experiences in the US as a foreigner. He presents himself as a newcomer to American customs, most notably in his segment on his first experience with tacos. The comedy is at its strongest when what should have been an ordinary experience is completely turned on its head throughout a series of simple misunderstandings. Not only does this build to a hilariously disastrous climax, but Noah weaves in a few jabs about immigration along the way – specifically about immigrant cuisine. He points out how possessive American culture can be when it comes to its claim on foreign food, stipulating, “I feel like there should be a rule in America that says you can hate immigrants all you want, but if you do, you don’t get to eat their food.” It’s a simple notion, but he hits the nail on the head, creating a perfect analogy for a much bigger issue.
Noah’s politics are never forceful or overly-aggressive. He is merely an observer, cleverly presenting his own experiences with prejudice in a light-hearted manner and leaving the rest for the audience to interpret as they choose. The biggest laughs (from both myself and the live audience) were throughout the segment on Trump’s wall. Noah doesn’t outright attack Trump’s beliefs, he just points out the inconsistencies in his designs and strategies. Noah further stipulates how others could potentially react or even manipulate Trump in response, once again striking a perfect balance between political relevance and sheer hilarity.
Son of Patricia concludes with some final anecdotes about Noah’s mother, Patricia, along with his recent experience with being called the ‘n’ word – which is a surprisingly insightful story. In South African, the slur has an entirely different meaning, and Noah once again demonstrates how a foreign perspective can allow one to cut through to the true nature of an issue.
Noah’s comedy is light-hearted enough to be effortlessly entertaining and topical enough for viewers to take something away from the experience. Son of Patricia demonstrates an expert ability to perform and tell stories in a wonderfully logical fashion. Noah’s intellectual brand of humour is part of an innovative wave of comedy that’s attracting new audiences to the genre. I’m sure fans – new and old – will be quickly queuing up for whatever Noah has in store for the world next – I know I am.
TheScreenReview 