Source : the age
Fame has made Hannah Gadsby a little self-conscious when talking about introspection and existential crises: “Before that I used to have to deal with a lot of life stuff and scramble a bit. It was more scrappy and that feels more true to the art form.”
So it might seem surprising that the Tasmanian-born comic’s return to the stage at this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival comes in the form of a Tonight Show-style talk show, with Gadsby as host posing probing questions to a new guest every night.
It was the acclaimed Nanette, released on Netflix in 2018 after their hit stage show of the same name the year before, that shot Gadsby (who identifies as they/them) to stardom.
Nanette told the story of Gadsby’s life, growing up as a queer person in a very conservative society. Although it revealed systemic trauma, it managed to be funny, raw and insightful, and won global acclaim and hearts everywhere.
Trouble is, as “an honest little performer”, Gadsby wants to speak truthfully – about stuff they know. The now Melbourne-based comedian had originally written a show full of doubt, humour, and revelations about their life.
But then Gadsby decided that would not wash. “The festival is a great place to recalibrate and spend some time with my peers and also the new generation that are coming through. So I devised a show where I take apart that show I wrote about being trying not to be self-indulgent and I put it into this new format, which is a Tonight Show. I’m interviewing guests in the middle … but I’m also asking them some personal questions.”
Other questions are taken from 1981 Trivial Pursuit, Australian Genus Edition, apparently. “I like to remember the days when information flow was stagnant,” says Gadsby.
Appearing in the show will be Abby Wambaugh, whose last name I mishear as “Wombat”, which seemed unusual for an American comic. That would have been great though, Gadsby says with a laugh.
Judith Lucy will make an appearance, as will an array of other local comedians, to be announced on the day of each show. “There’s a range of experience but we do know how to entertain a crowd, that’s the gift of live comedy.”
Gadsby recently released a new special named Woof! for free via YouTube. They describe the show, recorded live in New York in October 2024, as “a fever dream”. The video is accompanied by an animation by Aleck Morton and produced by Gadsby’s wife Jenney Shamash.
Netflix released Douglas in 2020 and, in 2023, Something Special, which was about marriage. For Hannah Gadsby’s Gender Agenda in 2024, the acclaimed comic gave the stage to seven LGBTQI+ comedians. “The last time Netflix brought this many trans performers together was for a protest,” they quipped in the show.
The motivation for dropping Woof! (based on the 2024/25 stage show) online independently was to make the work exactly as it was envisaged, without having to accommodate any of the big streaming platforms’ expectations.
Melbourne International Comedy Festival is a much-loved event for the 48-year-old. Not only is it the place that launched Gadsby’s career, it is the centrepiece of their year.
“I have a lovely audience, particularly in Melbourne,” they say. “It’s my home ground.”
Hannah Gadsby: The Evening Muse is at The Malthouse from March 26-April 19, as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. The Age is a festival partner.
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