In Praise of the One-Woman Show

Closure at a Self Serve Checkout [TheSpace Surgeon’s Hall, 23-26 Aug]

Bobbie Viney brings her one-woman show from the Adelaide Fringe tackling the modern dating phenomenon of ‘ghosting’. Through the medium of Powerpoint, songs and poetry, she explores everything from the dangers of dating Geminis, post-coital conversation and why we should avoid dating men with moustaches.

The narrative flows well, and the mid-morning audience were fairly amenable to some interaction; it’s always hard to get a singalong going but Bobbie manages it. Highlights for me were her moodboards of her ramshackle beds, the touching Phoebe Bridgers song cover and a poem reflecting on loss.

Perhaps some outwith the millennial/Gen Z groups could be a bit lost at times, such as the discussion of a certain dating type with a post-watershed name. But the theme will certainly resonate with women – and perhaps some men too. A familiar tale, told with skill and gusto.

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Cat Sh!t Crazy [TheSpace Triplex, 23-26 Aug]

Pets can be everything to us: best friends, entertainers and even life-savers. For Cindy D’Andrea, they’re all of these. In this emotional show, framed around a spiritual retreat, D’Andrea recounts her early life with a dysfunctional mother, a series of relationships with addicts, and trying to juggle her career with an increasing number of furry companions.

It goes without saying that the subject matter is very dark at times, touching on suicide, depression and the grief of losing a pet. There’s enough levity to balance things out, however, a highlight being the cat quotes and facts peppered throughout as asides. Cindy plays every character, from the shaman at the retreat, the client who enables her pet habit, the indifferent pet shelter staff, and all her cats.

I loved how each cat had a unique personality, from the hyperactive squirrel-chaser to the aloof Hollywood wannabe. Any cat-lover will instantly resonate with her motley crew, who are so crucial to Cindy’s recovery from traumatic life events. By the end at least one person was stifling sobs and a few of us were wiping away tears, but fortunately Cindy had provided details of local animal shelters on her programme – and the best show merchandise is surely adopting a cat…

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