Shitbag review (Melbourne International Comedy Festival)

Hayley Edwards has a shit disease. As in, a shitting disease. Welcome to Shitbag, where Edwards shares the realities of living with Crohn’s disease and the daily battle they face with their gut and bowels. The kind of battles where they might feel a moment of stupendous glee after having sex with someone who has a blue tick on Instagram, only to need to immediately rush home to the safety of their own toilet, surrendering to the smells and noises that follow.

Edwards has an infectious presence that quickly spreads through the audience. They radiate energy, enthusiasm, and sheer likeability. They perform with unwavering commitment and there is a real joy on their face to be on the stage in front of us that you’d think this was the world premiere of Shitbag, not the tail end of its season, 

They’re delightfully self-aware, with a few wink-at-the-audience meta moments. Edwards riffs on the well-worn trope of actors creating solo shows about their “unique journey” and delivers a faux-revelation the first time they say the show's title, like they’ve just landed the funniest joke of the festival. To be fair, they can have it, because Edwards is sharp, genuinely funny, and offers a brilliant insight into living with a chronic illness, specifically their Crohn’s Disease diagnosis.

They don’t hide from the tough stuff, with themselves or with us. There’s candid talk about their desire to party, date, and have sex, after all, they are the youngest and hottest person in the gastroenterology ward. They also delve into the daily frustrations and heartbreak of navigating a broken medical system, and the uphill battle to find the right help. At times, you hear the despair creeping into Edward's voice, but more often you feel the fierce determination and unshakeable hope.

The set design is simple but cleverly done, with a commode taking centre stage like a throne. It’s surrounded by various items - including toilet rolls, bath towels, and a hospital gown - that are deeply personal but also relatable in this very lived-in space.

Shitbag might explore Edwards' experience with chronic illness, but the challenges, hopes, despair, and optimism they share are universal, which is exactly why the show connects so strongly with audiences. Edwards may think they’re a shitbag, and they might literally need one someday, but this show? This show is shit-hot.

SHOW DETAILS

Venue: The Malthouse, 113 Sturt St, Southbank
Season: until 6 April | Sat 6pm, Sun 5pm
Duration: 55 minutes
Tickets: $27 Full | $24 Conc
Bookings: Melbourne International Comedy Festival