Comedy
by Not Suitable for Drinking (Emily Tresidder)
Hellenic Club WA
5th of February 2015
Review by Caroline Stafford
You know how you have those really funny friends who always know exactly the right thing to say? Emily Tresidder is definitely one of them. She appears at the Hellenic Club in her first stand up comedy gig, which discusses her past, present and gung-ho attitude to life – “live every moment like you’re writing your autobiography”. Great life advice and perfect for the ‘YOLO’ generation.
Much of Tresidder’s comedy is classic observation – from the difference in walking tempo between the speedy Sydneysiders of her home town, to us plodders in Perth, to her continued love and imagined eventual breakup with her barista. While on-point and chocked with enough Internet references to keep Gen-Y looking away from their smartphones for her entire set, her jokes and one-liners did seem to fall flat with the crowd, never really getting a laugh that rose above a nervous titter from the audience.
Her set was let down by the occasional overly long pause, or fumbled punch line, but it was a credit to see her coolly recover and continue on. The show’s set design also leaves something to be desired – I’m not really sure what the Eiffel Tower screens, lamp post and crushed velvet curtains held up with gaffer tape were in aid of, as they really didn’t add to the performance or the help with the amateur feel of the school-hall like Hellenic Club.
Despite this, the show definitely didn’t fall flat. They may not have been slapping their sides with laughter, but the audiences’ attention never wandered. Like a budding professional, Tresidder kept them following through her slightly short set, with much pointing, polling and the occasional ferocious accusation hurled at the crowd with exuberant hand gestures. She really understands that the way to an audience’s heart is through their troubled exes and shared autobiographical themes.
Effortless flow, belly laughs and a bigger budget all come to all professional comedians with time, and much practise. Tresidder already is well on her way – with incredible confidence, ferocity and a wicked sense of humour. She definitely will find her feet if her performances continue to be as promising.
If you want to check out Tresidder so you can say you saw her before she was famous, she’s performing until the 8th of February. For more tickets and details, see the Fringe World guide here.
