The late, great cultural theorist Mark Fisher, referencing American philosopher Fredric Jameson, once remarked that “it is easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism”. While Lauren Edwards, an exhausted millennial “girl boss” and a self-admitted “basic bitch”, doesn’t arrive at an answer to all of humanity’s woes, she does provide an hour of an enjoyable expression of cultural exhaustion with a sardonic bite.

Edwards is a relative newcomer to comedy but her stage training is clear throughout the hour-long show; she is comfortable and relatable, and cracks open several assumptions and obsessions of the modern world. Running the gamut from the unique pressures of high school in her youth, to the scam of the skincare industry, to a tirade on “hustle” culture and the advent of so-called “wealth coaches” on TikTok, she breaks up the packed structure of the comedy set with some well-written satirical songs.

Everything is a Lie is at its most enjoyable when Edwards interrogates an issue specific to her life experiences or offers unique insights on niche cultural trends that people might not have encountered before. One example is a fabulous song about the trend of keeping a “gratitude journal” in order to lift oneself out of a depressive malaise: “Do men have to keep a gratitude journal?” she quips to an audience member. “It’s just more homework; another job we have to do.”

Another highlight is when she shares her fear of being lost in the Bermuda Triangle, and bizarre stories about working at Sea World on a ride of the same name.

However, with a dense script and the ambitious juggling of one-woman stage show, stand-up comedy and cabaret, Edwards sometimes broaches topics in only an introductory way, and occasionally the exploration of the bizarre contradictions of today’s crises is less thorough than it could be. The show can struggle to move beyond the culture-war flashpoints of the last few years, so when a more consequential topic is raised, Edwards references it only briefly before moving on.

Everything is a Lie is a welcome offering from a rising-star comedian who embraces the expression of an overwhelming cultural exhaustion, and a pervading anxiety about the future of the planet. Despite the occasional underwhelming punchline, Edwards’ biting wit and sarcasm raises the vibrations of our heart chakras and manifests a more politically aware and satisfied audience.

Lauren Edwards is performing Everything is a Lie is The Jade until March 17.

Read more 2023 Adelaide Fringe stories and reviews on InReview here.

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