The only
thing that gets Hannah Gadsby out of the house these days is her comedy shows.
For MICF this year, they are human trafficking themselves to the Malthouse Theatre
to present a tonight show inside an existential crisis, with two different
special guests on the couch with her each night.
The new
show begins with Hannah reaching back in time – BC: before comedy – to tell us of the time they went skinny dipping in Byron Bay. Because it’s Hannah,
things don’t just go wrong, they start wrong – how do you go skinny dipping in
public when you feel so awkward naked? Where do you put your hands?
The jump
back reminds us that Hannah has always been awkward – that comedy and fame and
the ongoing ripples from the groundbreaking Nanette haven’t made
them that way. This is fundamental to their existence. Hence, the crisis. How
can Hannah keep doing standup when they are reluctant to leave the house and
otherwise remain completely out-of-touch with the world?
The Evening Muse – the show within the show – is a
late-night talk show that tries to eschew small talk, because Hannah is no good
at it. And adds in a trivia element, because they prefer to know the answers before
the people they are interviewing.
Last night’s guests were Mel Bracewell and Helen Bauer,
answering questions from 1981 Trivial Pursuit for a chance to show off their
tight-five to sell their own Comedy Festival shows. Helen won and killed it
with her jokes about fat women versus skinny bitches: makes me want to see her
show, Bless Her, too.
Early in the night, Hannah Gadsby explains that having fun
isn’t usually something they have as a goal. The Evening Muse, wrapped
in a crisis or not, is a lot of fun and is it’s 100% worth leaving the house
for. For us and for Hannah.
- Keith Gow, Theatre First
The Evening Muse is on at the Malthouse as part of the Melbourne Internation Comedy Festival until April 19th (Thursdays through Sundays only)
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