Sunday, 2 April 2023

Lou Wall vs. The Internet review (Melbourne International Comedy Festival)

We all have that secret jealousy about a friend. You know, the one who is more successful than us, has more friends than us, has a better home than us. The one where everything seems to go their way. We all do. There's no point denying it, but we just don't talk about it. But Lou Wall is, and in Lou Wall vs. The Internet, they not only present a show about killing their arch nemesis, they even sing about it.

Wall endears themselves to the audience through their warm, funny, vulnerable and (in a good way) unhinged personality. Even when there's a slight tech issue at the beginning, the way that Wall remains within the realm of the show and engages with the crowd makes them even more delightful and relatable, and leaves you wondering if this is all part of the act...

There is a lot of consideration and preparation that Wall has put into making this digital theatre experience come to be. Heavily detailed slides of online conversations and images may be on our screen for a few seconds but they would have taken plenty of time to create, and the scouring of the internet to get specific sound bites of various pop culture references to then be inserted into the story would be a headf*** in itself.

For anyone who has seen Wall before, the scenes where they speak with their therapist perfectly encapsulate everything we've ever known, or assumed, about Wall as a performer. The anxiety, the millions of thoughts that circle inside their head, the incredible speed in which they speak and spew out words...it's a rewarding moment for repeat attendees and also a joy for newcomers to witness, as confirmed by my plus one.

The only criticism for this show is that Wall has toetally ruined my love of peanut butter, and to find out exactly why, you'll just need to buy a ticket to the show. Apart from that, Lou Wall vs. The Internet is Wall in peak form. It might have you confronting your own insecurities and green-eyed monsters, but at least you'll be able to laugh while doing so.


SHOW DETAILS

Venue: ACMI, Federation Square, Melbourne
Season: Until 9 April | Thurs - Sat 6:30pm, Sun 5:30pm

Venue: Melbourne Town Hall, 100 Swanston St, Melbourne
Season: 3 April | 6pm

Length: 45 minutes
Tickets: $32 Full | $28 Conc
Bookings: Melbourne International Comedy Festival

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