Review - #FirstWorldWhiteGirls: Spirit Animal: slick, clever and very, very funny
Above: Kyra Thompson and Judy Hainsworth. Below Judy and her Spirit Animal.
Brisbane Comedy Festival
#FirstWorldWhiteGirls: Spirit Animal
By Judy Hainsworth
Directed by Lewis Jones.
Designed by Penny Challen
Musical director & sound designer Luke Volker
Rooftop Terrace
Brisbane Powerhouse
Featuring Judy Hainsworth & Kyra Thompson
Performance was on March 24
Those hard-done-to First World White Girls have just completed a sell-out season at the Brisbane Powerhouse, after sell-out seasons at the Adelaide Festival and now they are off to do almost certainly sell-out seasons in Miles, Toowoomba and Cairns.
It was two years ago when I last saw Tiffany (Judy Hainsworth) and Maddison, played by Meggan Hickey at the opening night of Botox Party. This time it was the final night of the new production and Tiffany’s “bestie” was played brilliantly by Kyra Thompson. The actor/singers blended into a dynamic duo that never missed a beat and sang with power and clarity, which was necessary with so many wonderful words to hear. They certainly had two first class voices
The act was just as fun-filled, slick, clever and very, very funny. Judy Hainsworth must be one of the best comedy writers in the country, as well as having great comedy timing and versatile singing voice. The show is successful because the characters are played so sincerely, which makes them so alarmingly real.
Tiffany had just returned from an Ashram and was revealing her spirit animal with her millennium bestie, so we learned to find the way to Nirvana through mindfulness and worship of our body temples,
The two were the perfect team, sharing the laugh lines, and working unselfishly together. They were a joy to watch and hear. The show was bitingly topical; Craig McLachlan got a mention and Meghan Markle was ripped to shreds in a deep-voiced diatribe from Hell’s Gates by Tiffany. Maybe Prince Harry should have married her instead; at least Meghan would be safe.
As usual, tongues were placed firmly in the cheek so that material that might be offensive was turned into satirical charm. Hainsworth, as well as writing the script, was guilty of writing all the song lyrics.
Again possibly offensive material was turned into pure gold by the perfect comic timing and vocal versatility. There was a repeat run of the hilarious Labiaplasty and new blockbusters like I’m Better than You, the outrageous (Send me a) Dick Pic as well as a repeat of the fabulous celebrity send-up, Little Black Babies.
The hour-long show is fast and furious and I would advise the people in Miles, Toowoomba and Cairns to book #FirstWorldWhiteGirls: Spirit Animal seats early. It will be the hottest ticket in town.
Maybe it’s time for the White Girls to turn into a full-length musical. The talent is there.