Be prepared for the unexpected
Next up on my ‘Year of Comedy’ list, was Antipodean comedian Sarah Kendall who was at the Soho Theatre with her show ‘A day in October’. First things first, this was a very different evening to all the others I’ve been to so far on my comedy journey. This was not a straight forward stand up show with lots of audience interaction. If anything, it was far more theatrical monologue (albeit a very darkly comic one).
When Sarah first comes out on stage, she introduces herself and sets the scene for the next hour. She tells us how she loves stories and wants to share one with us from a specific day in October, during her teenage years. From there, she delivers a cleverly structured story with darkly humorous pockets leading you down random paths before pulling you back to the main narrative. She is a witty woman with a sharp edge, highlighting the fine line between the humour and tragedy of life. Her storytelling is vivid, with her descriptions of the pain of adolescence springing to life in your mind.
Sarah focuses on telling us of her relationship with a friend called George, they key character to her story. He is the sort of boy we all remember from school; which is another point about Sarah’s show – she has hit on common ground. We’ve all been there, survived through childhood and more than likely bare a few of the scars. What better way to make sense of things than through laughter?
Coming back to the idea of a theatrical performance, Sarah’s monologue is funny yet powerful, leaving you with a message that you wouldn’t necessarily expect from an evening of comedy. It just goes to show that you should always be prepared for the unexpected and never underestimate a comedian.
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