Music theatre star Zoe McDonald made the greatest sacrifice in putting together her latest show, subjecting herself to hours of Sunrise and Today in the name of research. She can rest assured that it was worth it: Good Morning Mofo is a terrific one-woman character comedy that not only holds a magnifying glass up to morning television, but playfully singes it too.
The show revolves around the fictional (and yet perhaps not-so-fictional) world of Brunch – Channel 8’s flagship program-turned-institution – as it enters Women’s Week. We follow its ever-eloquent, impossibly-resilient anchor Chloe Davies as she deals with a dysfunctional team of larger-than-life caricatures. McDonald’s range as an actor is superb, seamlessly switching between distinguishable and well-realised characters to weave a story.
Of course, this is the kind of show where you inevitably pick your favourites, whether it’s the super-hip, super-smug Pamela from wardrobe or the tragic entertainment veteran Fay Ferguson. McDonald’s clone-esque infomercial duo Liz and Lisa are a real treat, accounting for some of the show’s best moments. It’s a curious thing, though: with the notable exception of Chloe, Good Morning Mofo’s characters are often abrasive and unlikable. It’s a testament to McDonald’s talent, then, that you’re found smiling and laughing anyway. Her ability to form a strong rapport with her crowd helps, too, with various segments of audience participation integrated nicely. Expect things to become uncomfortable, but in the most amusing way possible.
On that point, a sense of theatre takes precedent over laugh-out-loud hilarity throughout the show, but the imbalance is largely inconsequential. Good Morning Mofo is not only engrossing, intelligent and insightful, it’s executed brilliantly, which is worth plenty. Besides, a key characteristic of good comedy is that it tells us something about the world we live in and reveals us to ourselves. Good Morning Mofo definitely ticks that box. Expect cringes of recognition from start to finish, as the ultra-charismatic McDonald expertly satirises the absurd world morning television.Ultimately, Good Morning Mofo is on par with McDonald’s previous show FOMO, which is to say that it’s similarly terrific.
BY NICK MASON
