It was a happy accident that Kirsty Mac ended up in the world of comedy, and we are glad she did.
Working in ticket sales for a comedy lounge, and not content with the sexism she was constantly hearing from the male comedians she was working hard to sell tickets for, Kirsty decided that she wanted to be the one telling the jokes. Although up against an extraordinarily male dominated industry, Kirsty has a lot to say. She may more often than not be one of, if not the only woman hanging around the greenroom, but this hasn’t stopped her wanting to give women a voice through her work.
And now, after the roaring success of her first show, Feminazi –a passionate reclamation of the word – Kirsty Mac is back. But this time, she has a different voice in mind – men.
“Feminazi was my first show, and ever since I’ve been wanting to do a show for men, essentially because I think when most people hear the word ‘feminism’ they think it’s for women and that men can’t join in. So, in writing the show I really wanted to highlight that sexism exists for men as well.
“It’s in those early beginnings of childhood, when boys are told to man up, not to cry, and those sorts of things that they grow up to have all these issues. Toxic masculinity stems from belittling men when they do show vulnerability…and there aren’t many times when society says it’s OK for men to show vulnerability.”
Mac knows that when most of us hear the word ‘manflu,’ word associations start to accompany it. It’s an intrinsically sexist word towards men she says – as though when men say they’re sick, the world responds with something like, ‘Oh please, it’s just the manflu’. So, in wanting to reclaim the word much like she did with Feminazi, the title of her sophomore show was born.
“I’m trying to unpack it,” Kirsty says of the concept of her show, “and I’m trying to market it so that men think, ‘You know what? I want to go to this show.’ I really do want men to come, there’s no point doing it for the feminists, they’re already converted.”
And while it’s about giving the men a voice when it comes to the struggles they face with sexism, Kirsty also stresses concerns relating to other issues such as domestic violence in her show.
“I don’t think men understand that women are attacked and assaulted as much as we are,” she says. “So I’m really trying to bring that across as well.”
Drawing on her own experiences, and the plain and simple facts that exist surrounding this topic, her intent is obviously to get people laughing, but it’s also about getting people thinking. She boasts an innovative and refreshing approach to her delivery; as there is such shock-factor in the facts that she says, that people literally think it’s a joke. The impact is profound, and Mac hopes it will blow your mind.
By Abbey Lew-Kee
Venue: Speakeasy HQ, 522 Flinders St, CBD
Dates: March 31 – April 17 (except Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays)
Time: 7pm
Tickets: $20 – $25
