Mel Buttle is well aware that many amongst us are obsessed with Lynn “from the internet”, so Let Me Know Either Way? is bookended by video packages featuring this beloved suburban-mum character (which is based on her own mum).
Mel’s hilarious stand-up persona, however, is definitely not suitable for children.
A former drama teacher, Mel’s observations surrounding the profession are priceless (especially her male P.E. teacher impersonation: always warming up their groin region for no apparent reason while wearing tiny shorts). She also includes some classic material about living in Ipswich, Queensland (eg. there are no purebred dogs and if you do spot one, you just know it’s been stolen) plus hilarious stories from her time spent working as a fill-in presenter on ABC Local Radio: “Why not? 80 bucks is 80 bucks,” Mel jests.
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Because her parents are divorced, Mel tells us she had to come out twice. Her mum pretended she already knew, because of all the hockey Mel played in high school, about which she quips, “I’m not gonna play netball, netball is for sluts” – this is the joke that most offends people, blowing up her DMs, she later reveals.
Mel does a lot of regional touring, but doesn’t tell every audience she’s gay: “Once you’re an hour and a half out of a city – nah, keep your mouth shut,” she advises.
After closing the show by reciting a series of her mum’s actual text messages, unedited, over a hip-hop beat (which she doesn’t even attempt to keep time with, but it somehow still works), Lynn reappears on the screen to share her thoughts on the show (“a bit crass”) and complain about the exorbitant price of parking in the CBD.
Best bit: Mel says she often wonders while changing her son’s nappy, “When did he eat butter chicken?”
Number of legit LOLs: Permanent knowing laughter, punctuated by hearty LOLs.
Catch Let Me Know Either Way? at Melbourne Town Hall until April 23. Grab tickets here.
