Alice Fraser, Newcastle Comedy Club, March 16
Writer, podcaster, performer, standup comedian and, most recently, mother Alice Fraser took the stage at Newcastle Comedy Club last night to perform her new show "Twist." Her show covers a range of topics including the new world she's entered of life creation and smart fridges. Fraser doesn't think having a baby is all that special, but perhaps more valuable than a job as a Coles social media manager. She lists a few funny stereotypes and cliches of modern mums out there. (Her comedy is for everyone, not just said mums.)
We experience pregnant women through the eyes of a teenage boy and the realisation that Fraser's daughter might one day grow up to date Leo DiCaprio. It's sophisticated, authentic humour with a philosophical edge. Fraser dabbles in economics and the state of finances in the world today, be it getting paid as a travelling artist in Australia or getting rich dubiously off cryptocurrency in the Silicon Valley.
Fraser goes from being incredibly personal to thought provokingly deep. Her performance made me laugh and cry. She plays with the audience's emotions, from detailed stories of her birth to taking "ad breaks" where she reads clever absurdism from her laptop, changing the energy in the room. The show was never boring.
As a childfree woman at 35, I hear more and more conversations about motherhood and babies happening all around me. It doesn't bother me; I recognise we all exist because of birth and the miracle of life. But Fraser was able to discuss the familiar topic in a different and interesting way. She's idealistic but very aware of the realities that come with spending 98% of your time giving love and milk to a baby. "Everyone has vested interest in babies," she says, while also acknowledging that, best case scenario, your child gets to watch you die at the end of your life.
