Anne Edmonds fits the bill for what’s known as a pocket rocket – small in stature, but big in character and matched with a riotous on-stage presence, with which she had the audience in stitches from the get go.
For the 2016 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Edmonds is treating crowds to her brand new show, That’s Eddotainment. The Melbourne-based comedian is no stranger to the festival, having picked up the Piece of Wood Award for her 2015 Comedy Festival appearance, You Know What I’m Like – an accolade bestowed upon the best act of the festival, as voted by a board of fellow comics. This is testament to the world-class experience offered up by Edmonds whenever she graces the stage, and That’s Eddotainment is certainly no exception.
In the past Edmonds has been known for using a combination of sardonic storytelling and hilarious odes, with the assistance of her banjo. However the instrument is no longer her main accomplice, as it has been in some of her previous stand-ups such as My Banjo’s Name Is Steven. Rather than stripping back the layers of her performance, this has given Edmonds the opportunity to establish herself and completely unhindered in all of her satirical glory.
Edmonds opened the night with some light banter engaging the front row attendees. Once the crowd was suitably warmed she launched into her first topic, which centred on casually ingesting a particular kind of bodily fluid. So if you tend to be slightly squeamish or you’re hoping to take along your grandmother, this may not be the show for you. That aside, the slightly gross end of the spectrum isn’t the only arena into which Edmonds’ act wanders. She touches on other relatable topics such as dating, the conflicts between renters and home-owners, the narcissism of social media – in particular the all too familiar duck-face selfie – encounters with oddball neighbours and the repetitive figures one encounters in the workplace.
Another element of Edmonds act touches on her collaboration with fellow comics Damien Power and Greg Larsen, True Australian Patriots, which presents a formidable piss-take of the Reclaim Australia movement. Without giving too much away, a taste of the kinds of tales Edmonds spins include a sexual encounter involving an unfortunate accident with some olive oil, her obsession with medieval torture post-breakup and a run in with a decidedly slimy owner-occupier. A large part of Edmonds skill comes from her ability to introduce and satirise various characters seamlessly, allowing the audience to become fully absorbed in the stories on stage.
Though Edmonds humour is like many other comics in the way that it has a tendency to be self-deprecating, her strong persona projects a kind of sly and infectious self-confidence. As opposed to walking away feeling somewhat sorry for her, you can’t help but aspire to find the humour within terrible situations like she does.
BY BEL RYAN
