The Critic review (Melbourne International Comedy Festival)

It’s impossible to miss Kate Dolan in the audience as you slide into your seat in her venue. Perhaps she could blend in with her casual hoodie and trousers, but it’s clear she’s a plant. It’s an absurd way to begin The Critic, but also the perfect way to kick off this ridiculous hour of comedy.

The Critic is a comedic exploration of our anxieties and worries. The anecdotes shared by Dolan vary in theme and impact, but all focus on self-doubt and criticism in some way. Why is she unable to go to sleep? What should she wear to her wedding? Is it safe to go for an evening run? Dolan has a strong storytelling structure that engages well with her audience. She is loud, confident, and bursting with energy that doesn’t waver throughout the performance.

Dolan’s routine is often interrupted by her inner monologue, the critic, which she speaks via a voice changer that leaves her sounding very masculine and authoritative. It’s a voice that constantly expresses doubt and nags her on whether she’s funny enough or even good enough to be performing to us. “That was a good joke, why aren’t they laughing more?” it asks. It’s a stark contrast to her stage persona, and a powerful reminder that we rarely see the complete picture of a person. We generally choose to show the parts of ourselves that we want to, with a lot potentially going on ‘backstage’.

There’s a delicious chaos to The Critic that keeps you on your toes, not only from the constant interruptions of the titular speaker, but in how Dolan pivots between a punchline and a moment of brutal honesty. One minute you’re laughing at her neurotic hot take on something, the next you’re quietly floored by how closely her inner critic mirrors your own. She’s not asking for sympathy though. She’s making comedy out of the wreckage, wringing laughs from the spirals we go through. It’s cathartic, it’s clever, and it’s a bit unhinged in the best possible way.

Dolan jokes that it’s nice to play to a full house, but quips that it’s only because it’s a Monday and there's not much else on. We can be pretty hard on ourselves, and easily become our own worst critic. Thankfully, Dolan has no reason to worry with The Critic, because this critic thinks The Critic is an insightful and stellar show that gives you plenty to laugh about, and opens the curtain to what goes on inside a comic’s head when performing.

SHOW DETAILS

Venue: Bard's Apothecary, 7/24 Crossley St, Melbourne
Season: until 19 April | Mon - Sat 8pm
Duration: 55 minutes
Tickets: $20 - $28 Full | $18 - $26 Conc | $18 Tightarse Tuesday
Bookings: Melbourne International Comedy Festival