Lou Wall’s new show promises the conclusion to ‘Where is Bed?’, their musical saga of Facebook marketplace batshittery. Uninitiated? Don’t worry, there’s a recap at the start of the show. It’s safe to say it delivers on its promise, and in the style that should come as no surprise if you’ve seen the viral clip: warm-hearted musical PowerPoint comedy. What does surprise, though, is the journey the Aussie comedian takes us on thereafter: a reflection on the very nature of stand-up.
What are the effects of selling oneself to strangers for a living, and what degree of self-assessment does that contract stipulate? When you’ve grown up in the zillenial pocket, into a world where people expect more integrity from comedians than politicians, how do you switch off? And how do you enjoy reality TV or feed your true-crime habit without spiralling about what’s ethical?
Breaking the Fifth Wall is like falling into a friend’s camera roll: A joyously unhinged scroll through their memes, front camera videos, and screenshots of DMs to their BetterHelp therapist. And yet, you might somehow leave wondering if you know less about Wall than when you went in. One thing’s for sure: They were born to perform. It’s pathological.
Lou Wall: Breaking the Fifth Wall, Monkey Barrel Comedy, until 24 Aug (not 12), 10pm