Review: Hannah Gadsby - Dogmatic
Adelaide Fringe
When Taylor Swift said “haters gonna hate”, Hannah Gadsby must have taken it as an invitation. ★★★★½
From rants about marketing manipulation, to her hilarious and spot-on deconstruction of the public perception of the pop star as a role model, Gadsby’s new show delivers to both the funny-bone and the brain.
After departing from the one-hour stand-up gig in the Garden of Unearthly Delights’ beautiful wooden shack The Factory, you find that your general way of thinking, and ab muscles, have shifted.
Dogmatic began with the lights being dimmed and a video projected behind the stage, like you might see at a rock show.
Shortly after, out came Gadsby, guided by a pre-recorded soundtrack of screaming fans. It was clear this was indeed a rock show and the comedian was the star.
As she delivered her stories, the audience appeared to hang off every word, captivated is if being addressed by a traveller sitting by a campfire. But as quickly as this talented storyteller drew them in, she revealed she was just delivering an immensely well-scripted performance piece – seemingly a cheeky stab at Swift’s innocence.
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Few comedians use as many techniques as Gadsby to draw in their audience, but when you have the ability to make people laugh at a kid getting hit by a van, you can make anything work brilliantly.
Dogmatic intelligently takes a crack at marketing, consumerism and Taylor Swift. It is likely to leave even the pop star’s fans pondering the question: “Is Taylor really that great?”.
Four-and-a-half stars
Hannah Gadsby performed at the Garden of Unearthly Delights. Her Fringe season has now finished.
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