Saturday 7 April 2018

Worth It - Melbourne International Comedy Festival review

If you go to Worth It expecting "a post-industrial, consumer-based, sustainable comedy show for the new economy", you are going to be sorely disappointed. Canadian comedian DeAnne Smith informs us at the very beginning of her show that she won't be talking about this and instead looks at other equally fun conversation topics like phobias, depression and death. Yay!

Fortunately, Smith has a plethora of incredulous experiences to share that fill the room with laughter. Ranging from first date disasters (that I still find difficult to believe), responses to when animals attack and to parents who have passed away, her casual approach in telling such stories is a winning combination.

The common thread running through these is Smith's mental health and so there is a vulnerability to everything she says that builds a bond with her audience. Her interaction with us further strengthens this, as it means she isn't just talking at us for the whole hour but talking with us and making us part of the show. In chatting to the audience and reacting to what is being said, Smith adds further pressure on herself to come up with a punch line or witty response to what is being said and she nails it each time. 

Walking out of Worth It is a similair experience to walking out of an amazing therapy session in which a breakthrough has been made or a realisation that life is not as hard or bad as you thought it was. If Smith is able to find the humour in her life, then we all should be able to with our own. She informs us at one point that the show we are getting is coming straight from the heart, and she's right. Worth It is Smith at her best and giving the audience plenty to think about and plenty to laugh about.

Click here to read my interview with DeAnne Smith.

Venue: Greek Centre, 168 Londsdale St, Melbourne. 
Season: Until 22 April | Tues - Sat 7pm, Sun 6pm
Length: 60 minutes 
Tickets: $25 - $30 Full | $25 Conc (Wed-Thurs, Sun), Tightarse Tuesday 
Bookings: MICF website

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