This film is definitely one that we should be talking about. Funny, raw, emotional and inspirational, Hannah Gadsby: Nanette will have you jumping out of your seats and sliding into your bright-blue, equality-advocating t-shirts in no time.
Gadsby begins her routine with the usual lesbian jokes and self-deprecating humour that she is known for, leaving the audience in peals of laughter. Upbeat and effortless, it starts out as an easy watch. However, as the show goes on, Gadsby begins to delve into the truth behind her jokes and the sorrow behind her stories, revealing that all is not so smooth as it had seemed.
Hannah Gadsby: Nanette is the story of Gadsby, of how she made a career by cutting off her jokes at the punch line but not at the end of her story. She strips away layers of her soul until she stands upon the stage in a poetic state of nakedness, opening up about the struggles, challenges and pointed hatred that she has been faced with throughout her life.
Gadsby speaks of how sharing in self-deprecating humour for so long has only served to restructure her story in a negative way, severely affecting her emotional wellbeing. She describes the ways in which society has failed her, time and again, for being who she is and for being different. She stands centre stage for the entirety of the film, telling her truth and weaving us into it in the hopes that we will glean some form of understanding.
She effortlessly captures the attention of both the live audience and the viewers watching from their screens, commanding an awe and respect that is not often garnered from comedians. Hannah Gadsby: Nanette is a show that draws together comedy and poetry, one that aims to broaden the perspective of our society and the way in which we treat our fellow humans.
By the end of her comedy special, Gadbsy will have you advocating for compassion, empathy and understanding towards those who are different and deserving of more than the ignorant way that we have treated them. Gadsby is ready for change, ready to see it and ready to make it, and her show is making just the splash she’d hoped for.
Hannah Gadsby: Nanette is streaming on Netflix now!
Fun Fact:
Winner of Best Comedy Show, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, 2017.
COMMENTS