Comedy: Susan Calman – The Last Woman on Earth

Date: August 26th, 2009 Author: Martin Walker
Category(s): Comedy: Susan Calman – The Last Woman on Earth
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Comedy
*****
Susan Calman – The Last Woman on Earth
Underbelly

As the room falls into darkness, the introduction to Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s Two Tribes is played.  An air attack warning, a Siren, a high energy rhythm, and Susan Calman bounces on to the stage.

“We’re all stuck in here – if you leave the room, you will die,” she proclaims, “but it’s OK, I’m here to keep you entertained.”  Very quickly it becomes clear that, despite the apocalypse outside, things with this very mixed, close to capacity Underbelly audience is more than just okay.

Calman is attempting to rebuild our society by giving various audience members post apocalyptic roles.  Categories include ‘stud’, ‘worrier’ and ‘food’.  Calman’s skill is to enable the audience to participate, and occasionally make up their own jokes, whilst never losing control.

Rarely, if ever, have I observed an audience uniformly laugh so much and so hard.  Sitting at the front, I turn and look at each face in the room.  Not only is absolutely every person laughing, but they are falling about.  And they don’t stop for the entire hour.

Kate Copstick has apparently said that women aren’t capable of being as funny as men.  I beg to differ.

MW