Words: Calum Baxter
Image: Ian Laidlaw

4 Stars

This show wasn’t originally what Hannah Gadsby had planned to write and perform for us at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival. On the wake of their father’s passing the original plan was a “dead dad” show. So anyway….whales!

Hannah Gadsby refuses to conform and pander to the the masses with a show about grief, since there are no shortage of these shows at this year’s Fringe Festival. Following on from their performance of “Nanette” they were encouraged to learn into similar themes in their following performances. Affronted by the notion that their glasses are part of their brand image and identity (consider the cover of their
memoir, Ten Steps to Nanette, which is all glasses), they underwent laser eye surgery.

Following on from a journey from Adelaide to Sydney, Hannah Gadsby had a panic attack. In this uncertain, turbulent, conflicting world we live in, Hannah deliberates what anxieties we should be focusing on. Where have all the Cabbage Patch Kids go, for instance? They worry they don’t know how to love
Taylor Swift, despite feeling in their heart of hearts that it’s imperative they must and feels like they ought to.

The astute narrative complexity and subversion that Gadsby’s shows are known for isn’t completely explored here. Instead what we are treated to is an incredibly talented performer flexing their comedy credentials with an hour of shrewd observational comedy. We anticipate sharper material on the
horizon as they work out their new topic of interest to develop a show about.

Hannah Gadsby: Woof!
Underbelly Bristo Square McEwan Hall
17:20
Aug 21 – 25