78% Honesty epitomizes the current crop of comedy in this country and at the Comedy Festival – a vulnerable young comic with no budget, no strings and nothing other than her bare bones, songs and style, busting her balls to entertain in a performance space, so hot and small you’d be embarrassed to call it a spare bedroom and let your grandmother sleep there. There’s a flood of these types of shows currently on as part of the Festival and when you see the comics ‘flyering’ on the street during the day because they know they’ve got two people booked in the audience that night, you better believe it’s hard work! So it was fair enough when Baggas kept apologising and, due to the heat, once actually said: ‘don’t worry, it’s almost over”.The ‘show’ is a ‘date’ between Baggas and the audience and asks the normal ‘date’ kind of questions: how much are we willing to share about each other, will we like each other and will we want to see each other again? It’s an interesting idea and allows the performer to tell anecdotes and sing songs inspired by her art works, showing off her drawing, singing and song-writing talents in a very human way, showing us she’s flawed, she fumbles, makes mistakes, gets it wrong and embarrassed, like everyone does, which is sometimes gut-wrenchingly awkward, but that’s also the charm of the show and her performance. It’s really just her, being herself, take or leave her.
The type of audience interaction is unexpected, particularly when she hands out chocolate and serenades an audience member, which could understandably be considered either endearing or intrusive, depending on your own take on it or mood on the night.
As a show, it’s not perfect, the songs aren’t groundbreaking, the transitions could be smoother, the script could be tighter, but there are ‘good bits’, lines and moments as Baggas attempts an uncontrived, 78% honest, open dialogue with the audience. It’s human in all its (mostly) honest and imperfect glory. It’s not a night of flawless entertainment, but entertainment which refuses to take itself seriously and invites the audience to get to know a sexual, vulnerable, loving, friendly, human, talented artist, which the bulk of the opening night audience seemed to enjoy, given the spare bedroom conditions.
78% Honesty plays until March 30th, except Mondays because I imagine Baggas doesn’t like them.
Michelle "BAGGAS" Baginski
78% Honesty
Venue: Trades Hall | 54 Victoria St, Carlton Sth
Dates: 19th Mar - 30th Mar
Times: Tue-Sun 8pm (60mins)
Prices: Full $22, Conc $16
Bookings: www.comedyattrades.com.au or call 03 9659 3569.