Tessa Waters in WOMANz. Photo by Evan Munro Smith.
Presented by Tessa Waters
Reviewed 22 February 2015
Comedy is very rarely a whole lot of fun. Sure it makes us laugh, and we smile, but the image of the comedian, standing alone on a stage and listing off their social complaints is an inherently sad one.
We laugh, but we laugh because, a lot of the time, the things they’re talking about are pretty dire. Maybe we laugh to forget; maybe we laugh to keep from crying… either way comedy is, often, a sobering experience.
Enter Tess Waters and her hysterically funny one-woman show, WOMANz.
Tess plays the goddess of female sexuality and power named ‘Womanz’. Complete with a crazy (and ever-changing) accent, Womanz takes the audience on a journey of self-discovery where, through her “brilliant and amazing rhythmic dance skills” (her words, not mine), she aims to reconnect the audience with the majesty and magic of their bodies.
The reason this show works is because it’s so disarmingly fun and silly; it’s a euphoric experience that will warm up even the coldest, most cynical audience member. Waters enthusiasm and commitment to the show is infectious, and her performance is the most remarkably physical thing you’ll probably see this Fringe (and that’s including the circus acts).
She runs, jumps, wibbles, wobbles, crumps, spins and body rolls. Her charm and presence covers every inch of the venue and it’s impossible not to become entranced by it.
WOMANz is more than just mindless slapstick however, though Waters does it so well, that she could get away with it. What she show does so well is draw attention the various we are pressured to feel about ourselves. WOMANz works to dismantle the different types of shame that we (particularly women, but this is a show that everyone can benefit from) are frequently forced to feel towards our bodies.
This is clever comedy because it’s silly, because it’s fun, because it takes the body and makes it a place of wonder, again. Where so much comedy is about rejection, WOMANz is a refreshing because it is a celebration.
It’s been over a week since I’ve seen WOMANz. I’ve seen countless other shows since, and none have been quite as fun as this one.
Reviewed by Anthony Nocera
Twitter: @anthonynocera21
Rating out of 5: 5
Venue: The Garden of Unearthly Delights, East Terrace, Adelaide
Season: 13 February- 15 March 2015
Duration: 50 minutes
Tickets: $27 – $30
Bookings: Book through FringeTix online or at a FringeTix box office (booking fees apply)
Disclaimer: Anthony Nocera submitted this review voluntarily after attending this production as a regular patron.
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