Okay, to be fair, I was expecting to go to this show with people who were almost definitely mainstream comedy fans. They were almost certainly going to laugh outrageously at the merest hint of a punch line. And I was dead right. You ever get that feeling where you find it difficult to laugh at something because of the other people who are laughing at it? Or maybe I’m just strange, but anyway…
The stage is adorned with some chairs and a table with random household items scattered across it. I’d love to go into some ranting about dramatic symbolism, but I feel like an early night tonight. The content of this show based around Denise’s life at her house (Number 26), from the beginning dramas of buying it out of sheer desperation, to the kids finally moving out.
I found I was laughing for the first, say, twenty minutes of the show. Then it seemed to become less and less amusing, as I became weary of hearing the same joke formula used over and over again. It became repetitive, too much so in my eyes.
It seemed to me that a large percentage of the humour was from shock value only. Swearing unexpectedly and saying inappropriate things you wouldn’t expect from a woman of her age. The first few times it was funny, but it became less and less shocking as it went on. At the risk of a sweeping statement, it’s probably true that this was more effective for the more mainstream comedy fans. Again, the predictability and repetitiveness became a bit too much for me.
It must be said however, that her strength is her interaction with the audience. When she was simply giving herself free rein, it was hilarious. But it made the rest of the show seem too much like an act; only revealing her true self in moments of improvisation. I have to say, I enjoyed the improvised Denise more than the scripted Denise.
Okay, so maybe as a young male I was less likely to connect with her on some levels than say, a middle-aged woman in a similar position. I can definitely see how by simply having first-hand experience with some of the topics she raised and ranted about she may have appeared significantly funnier.
Overall, if you’re looking for some simple gags with a hint of vulgarity, you could do worse. She is at least consistent throughout her show, and if you can enjoy it without it waning, then there is no reason to think you will not enjoy the show. Maybe it’s just me that got a little weary of her personal brand of humour. It’s all about opinion these days.
For full booking details go to the Melbourne Comedy Festival website