It’s been four decades since Australia first fell in love with Bob Downe – Prince of Polyester, the Lounge Room Lothario, the human sequin himself. And in his new show 40 Ridiculous Years, which played a sold-out night at Memo Music Hall in St Kilda, Mark Trevorrow’s alter ego proves that time, like taste, means absolutely nothing when you’re this gloriously camp.
From the moment Bob sashayed onto the stage wearing white pants, hush puppies and a t-shirt emblazoned with CHOOSE BOB, as well as his trademark perma-grin, the audience was his. The show was a love letter to variety, kitsch and cabaret – delivered with a wink, a croon, and enough dad jokes to fill an entire cruise ship.
Trevorrow knows exactly how to work a Melbourne crowd, and 40 Ridiculous Years plays like a homecoming of sorts with a delightfully 1980s theme. Between classic hits like “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go” and “Fame”, Bob riffed on his career highs and lows. It’s part roast, part retrospective and wholly ridiculous in the best possible way.
Vocally, Trevorrow hasn’t lost a beat. His buttery renditions of pop gems and easy-listening standards were pitch-perfect, and his comedic timing remains razor sharp. Every quip lands, every exaggerated eyebrow raises a laugh. There’s also real warmth beneath the sparkle: moments of genuine affection for his audience and for the absurdity of the character that has defined his life’s work.
40 Ridiculous Years isn’t just a comedy show – it’s a celebration of Australian camp, nostalgia, and the enduring joy of never taking yourself too seriously. Long may Bob keep shining.
