Image via MICF
In 2015, Anne Edmonds delighted audiences with her Melbourne International Comedy Festival show You Know What I’m Like, and was the recipient of the Piece of Wood Award for her efforts; an award that is voted on by other comedians, so you know the winner must be worthy. This year, Edmonds has a brand new show with brand new material, and it is just as hysterical as last year’s effort.
That’s Eddotainment certainly lives up to its title. It is fast-paced, side-splitting entertainment, with Eddo herself acting as the punchline to many of the jokes. She announces to her audience halfway through her set that she loves despair and humiliation, and while much of her material involves having a laugh at other people’s expense, she also spends a lot of time showcasing the despair and humiliation she has experienced in her own life.
Edmonds is akin to the hilarious aunt your parents were reluctant about leaving you with when you were a child because she would tell you inappropriate stories and teach you a bunch of new swear words. She has something funny to say about everyone, from the audience members in the front row to the selfie-obsessed cancer patient. There are no limits to her criticisms, and she takes pleasure in voicing the opinions that we are all secretly thinking but are too afraid to say out loud. And then some.
While many of Edmonds’ stories revolve around herself, she pushes boundaries with some of her jokes, mostly those about race or religion. She speaks freely about her dislike for South Africans, which is clearly an exaggerated gag, but it doesn’t quite hit the mark compared to some of her slightly less controversial pieces, such as her keen interest in medieval torture and her imagined world where beheading is a common occurrence in modern day Australia.
Edmonds’ talents mainly lie with her ability to accurately and comically characterise a range of people. Much of her comedy style involves her doing an over-the-top impression, and then making a mockery of that person, shouting obscenities and declaring her hatred toward them in a way that extracts all kinds of snorts and laughter-induced cries from the crowd. She also unashamedly talks about her love life and ongoing singledom, transforming her overstated desperation into flawless comedic material.
At the end of her 2015 MICF show, Edmonds revealed the delightfully traumatising character known simply as ‘pig girl’. In 2016, she introduces a new personality to her adoring audience: Bernadette. While I won’t go into detail about the kind of girl Bernadette is, she will win your heart and make you want to punch her in the face all at the same time; everybody knows a Bernadette.
That’s Eddotainment has it all: filthy jokes about sex, punchy character sketches, controversial opinions, relatable observations, and some truly hilarious stories about people and events from Edmonds’ life that will leave you exhausted from laughing so hard. She is a true blue, self-proclaimed people pleaser, and she will no doubt continue to please comedy punters for years to come.
4 out of 5 stars
Anne Edmonds – That’s Eddotainment
Melbourne Town Hall – Cloak Room
24 March – 17 April
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
www.comedyfestival.com.au
23 March – 17 April
