Exposing flaws and foibles has been a theme this festival. Other stand-up comics need to dig deep and craft a show around observations of political, social or moral issues. Some go with high-concept premises that allow them to spin-off in any direction.
Jessi Ryan
is telling audiences about their year after emergency surgery, when they had to
live with an unexpected guest star - a colostomy bag. A whole year worrying
about three very specific things: the rip, the drip and the possibility of
explosion.
Jessi’s
style is raw and in-your-face, but don’t worry – they are considerate enough to
give trigger warnings for sex, the Liberal Party, Neo-Nazis and poo. Lots of poo.
And it’s not all bowel- or colostomy bag-related.
Stories of
struggling to become a journalist blend in with Jessi’s years away from writing
and working in hospitality, where they’d play “who’s going to gay bash us
tonight” with a fellow bartender. Working at a club is not all bad – you can go
have an existential cry in the cool-room and then bounce back!
Jessi’s
life changed one night when their guts exploded and they ended up at Austin
Hospital on their possible death-bed. After years of partying and poor-life-choices,
Jessi was worried they’d made a mess of a body that had withstood everything
they’d put it through so far.
Functional
Bottom is a frank
and honest look at a life run at full speed and then, unexpectedly, put in
limbo. Jessi’s chaotic style – jumping off script, throwing in some physical
comedy, and eventually finding their way back to the story – is mesmerising to
watch. And the wild swings in tone and delivery are perfect for a
year-in-the-life that has lots of downs and many ups, as Jessi redraws life as
they know it.
Jessi is a
performance- and visual-artist and this is their first stand-up show. I could tell
this was Jessi’s first stab at comedy, but they are so clearly possessed
by the ability to tell a story and entertain a crowd that even if a joke doesn’t
land, it’s okay, because the truth of Jessi’s struggle shines through.
The
specific details are what make the show (the behavioural contract, the sugar daddy,
their housemate/landlord, finding the power in journalism, and on and on) and the
theme of remaking and reimagining a life resonates with a lot of us
post-lockdowns. Wanting a change after any major trauma in our lives makes
sense.
Jessi’s
honesty about their strengths and flaws ensures this autobiographical
hour has real power. I laughed, I gasped and I was surprised with all the
twists and turns, and how Jessi found strength while they carried their own poo
around in a bag.
Functional Bottom closed last night, but I’m sure it will return. You can't keep a good storyteller away for the microphone for too long.
- Keith Gow, Theatre First
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