Whimsically Witty, Wholesome Comedic Wizardry
(original image from: https://comedy.com.au/tour/gillian-cosgriff-actually-good/)
After a successful run at last year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival (which earned her the 2023 Most Outstanding Show) and a sold-out season at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Gillian Cosgrove brings a return run of her show ‘Actually, Good’ to the 2024 Melbourne International Comedy Festival (and boy was I glad she brought it back since I missed it last year)
Gillian’s ‘Actually, Good’ focuses on what sparks joy (not in a Marie Kondo way) but looking at the ordinary little aspects of everyday that uplifts your day. Gillian based her show around the seemingly simple but also complex question: ‘List the top 10 things/experiences that makes you happy, that makes your day’.
With her bubbly, enchanting stage presence, and quick-fire charming wit; Gillian concocts a dazzling 60 minutes of whimsical original songs as she shares her top 10 list through spine-tickling yet poignant anecdotes. Throughout the short hour, she also invites her audience to a voluntary (from a place of love) audience participation to create a top 10 list for the night. This is done every performance, and she writes each of the top 10 list created per performance in her big Book of Good and audiences can flip through at the end of the show.
Her ingenious incorporation of musical, comedy and a healthy dose of ad-lib provides a breath of fresh air and uniqueness to each show as different punters take their turns to give a top 10 – from the weird to wholesome, the silly to poetic; the jaw-dropping to shocking; and the surprisingly informative and possible oversharing – you never know which direction the night will go (our night went full wholesome and poetic overload – but thanks to Gillian, it never steered off the funny, comedic path)
What sets Gillian’s show apart is her comedic wizardry to harmoniously combine the scripted (her anecdotes and her list) with the ad-lib (the audience’s list) – Interweaving flawlessly her songs and punchlines with her ad-lib banter reactions and observations.
Gillian’s comedic craft is simply a magical wonder. She is an incredible performer who is able to bring hilarity and poignancy together effortlessly; putting together a show full of humour, spirit and essence which results in a room filled with constant laughter; her audiences left cackling like witches and hyenas, wheezing to catch our breath… but all the while, perhaps without us even knowing until after the show on the commute home alone with our thoughts, she has also touched our souls and pushed us to re-evaluate our perception of what is important in life, inspiring us to appreciate the small joys in life in the now; to live and enjoy the present; be playful and look to the lighter things because there’ll never be another today tomorrow.
The festival may have ended, but you can still catch her show in Sydney, London and Adelaide. For all information, head to https://comedy.com.au/tour/gillian-cosgriff-actually-good/
Tea Addict's Reviews 