Adrienne Truscott – one half of the Wau Wau sisters – is new to stand-up, but she is a talented seasoned performer and while Asking For It may not deliver belly laughs, it will entertain with outlandish projections and stage antics, and a deeper political undertone.
The term groundbreaking gets bandied about a lot, but Truscott is truly breaking new ground here. Recent controversy about rape jokes in comedy had many male comics saying that it’s not okay to censor a comedian. Comedians should be able to talk about whatever they want – so that’s exactly what Truscott has done, producing a show that would probably make these same men blush.
Truscott basically takes rape in popular culture to task, knocking down comics such as Daniel Tosh and rappers like Rick Ross as well as the idea of ‘legitimate rape’ that we heard bandied about in US politics not so very long ago. You don’t spend as much time laughing at the show as you do agreeing with Truscott’s endearing and cheekily rebellious (although it shouldn’t be) point of view. What results is something that none of these men, who feel it is their right to joke or sing about rape, could ever have produced.
A big talking point of the show will be that she spends some of the show sans pants, a way of seizing the term ‘asking for it’; playing the part of a lady who has had too many gins and might seem happy to participate in a good time. But don’t let the no pants overshadow the underlying message of this unique, hard-hitting show. Highly recommended, but those who can’t handle difficult topics or nudity should steer clear.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Adrienne Truscott’s Asking for It: A One-Lady Rape About Comedy Starring Her Pussy and Little Else!
Portland Hotel, Cnr Russell and Little Collins Sts
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
www.comedyfestival.com.au
27 March – 20 April
