The show opens with a short film on the work of Action Aid who present this powerhouse of a showcase and the work they do overseas in empowering women who suffer in povery and social injustices. The audience is given a first account of how the tickets they have bought to the show this evening impacts the lives of these women before a more in depth conversation with the company’s Executive Director, Michelle Higelin. ActionAid celebrates it’s 10 year anniversary this year, presenting Frocking Hilarious again as part of the Sydney Comedy Festival season.
Nikki Britton set the tone nicely offering comebacks and one-liners for the single woman who chooses not to have kids while in the company of her married friends throwing baby showers.
The Line-Up was an all-star assembly of veterans, cult stars and up and comers:
Nikki Britton (MC)
Zoe Coombs Marr
Double Denim
Lauren Pattison
Demi Lardner
Fiona O’Loughlin
Effie
Chris Ryan
Steph Tisdell
Judith Lucy
Women standing together for other women with material that took us through issues, thoughts and insights from a multi-generational perspective when tying it all together.
Funniest Moments:
Zoe Coombs Marr was the country girl who cleverly played a cheeky innocence exploring big city themes. Demi Lardner’s short skits were spectacularly funny including an impersonation of Jesus. Chris Ryan delivered some of the most hilarious analogies as she likened her marriage and sex life to a swimming pool. Steph Tisdell throws at the audience a very direct and racially charged set up enthralled in humour with a very endearing and contagious laugh enjoying her own jokes. The climax was the insight into the aboriginal name of the white whale. It was great to see Effie (Mary Koutsas) back on stage again while she did have her moments, it did lack the punch we were seeing all night.
Action Aid Ambassador, Lucy closed the show with a post menopausal themed set full of belching laughs and very confronting material with men in the audience pre-warned.
Honestly, I was worried the material was going to centre solely on social injustice and political themes, it was a relief to be able to enjoy the evening that brought together some of the most prominent women in Australian comedy standing up for women, but share a laugh over themes that we could all relate to - relationships, ageing, with just the perfect amount of gender inequality, racial and social injustice themes carefully weaved in without having to over-remind us of the cause and the point of the evening.
Frocking Hilarious was a one night performance at the Enmore Theatre as part of Sydney Comedy Festival