Walking into Josie Long’s show was a strange experience. Thinking that I was late, Long was singing and doing her funky moves while singing into the microphone. It’s certainly a different way to start a show, and I liked it. I’d not like to have the heart attack thinking I was late though next time – just in case any stand-ups are thinking of doing this.
It’s an odd way to start a show particularly when much of her subjects that she touches on include political misgivings around the world. She makes no bones about where she lands herself politically, but her frustrations with all sides of the political spectrum are on display here in Something Better.
Long struggles with herself and goes through a part of her show questioning so many things that trouble her. She does it with a happy appearance and with a confident passion, knowing that talking through these struggles in her mind will make things clearer. As an audience member, the sentiment is the same. Long transmits ideas that challenge us as a watching audience, which really is to be admired.
A spot in the show which focuses on To Kill A Mockingbird felt a little out of left field but was a welcome relief from the heavy stuff. More karaoke at the end of the show was a nice amusing touch as well.
Long focuses on intelligent material with a nice attention to detail that sets her in a nice little corner of comedy that isn’t full-on political, but a thoughtfully dogmatic.
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Josie Long’s Something Better is on at Melbourne Town Hall until April 23rd as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (no shows between the April 4th – 15th). More info here.
The reviewer attended the show on April 1st.
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