‘It must be hard to be you: you’re all so normal,’ says short-statured comedian Emma J Hawkins to her audience at the start of her show. It’s a powerful reminder of how patronising even well-intentioned people can be towards those seen as different in our society. Unfortunately that power isn’t sustained for the duration of I Am Not A Unicorn. Despite some strong moments, the production feels under-developed; it might also have been better suited to the Melbourne Fringe rather than the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, being rather light on laughs.
Hawkins’ skills as a physical performer are pronounced and articulate, thanks to her background in circus; she seems most comfortable and relaxed on stage when she’s dancing. There’s a laboured quality to her performance otherwise, which isn’t helped by some rather slight material. There’s a lot of padding and taking up of time in this piece. For instance, Hawkins comes out in a cape and spends several minutes simply prancing about; once is fine but a second time seems lazy, with the routine’s references to traditional notions of beauty and Snow White’s evil stepmother rather forced.
The whole show lacks imagination – ironic given its thematic concern with fairy tales and imagination – and the language used is sloppy; I was surprised to learn that a couple of experienced writers have been involved in script development: the writing’s thin and at times all over the place.
Of the assorted sketches which make up the show, the best is one which sees Hawkins mocking the tropes of European fairy tales and the association of short-statured people with the fantastical; the weakest is a more mundane sequence involving a train driver, whose story goes nowhere.
There are plenty of opportunities for humour if Emma were prepared to sacrifice some dignity to make herself the butt of jokes; there are so many opportunities for word play with ‘small’ and ‘little’ and ‘short’, but her comic timing needs a lot of work.
A reliance on audience participation feels somewhat laboured, such as the segment using dictionary definitions of ‘normal and ‘abnormal’; it’s effective and amusing, but pulling the narrator on stage from the audience seems superfluous. Voiceover or a pre-prepared video sequence could do the job with more punch. The best moment is when Emma flattens her face in a pile of chopped up onions, an eloquent and powerful gesture, and here her timing is spot on.
It feels churlish to complain about this show because Hawkins is doing something important in naming the unfairness of normative privilege and highlighting how objectionably ignorant people can be; hers is a much worthier contribution to the world than most stand-ups. Nonetheless, I felt I was being preached to, and would enjoy hearing more personal anecdotes, more real stories rather than generalisations about the ubiquitous insensitivity of stupid people. She makes that point over and over again. We hear you, Emma, but this is meant to be a comedy.
Rating: 2 ½ stars out of 5
I am not a Unicorn
Performed by Emma J Hawkins
Script contributors: Melissa Reeves and Matthew Whittet
Dramaturg: Ingrid Voorendt
Directed by Maude Davey
Northcote Town Hall
Until 18 April
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
www.comedyfestival.com.au
25 March – 19 April
