Someone once told me that confidence was leaving the house knowing that the stove was off.

This show was the opposite of that feeling.

With her debut NZICF hour, Mo Munn is bringing a frantic, fast-paced show with Is it Off?, a show that draws upon the dozens of talents she’s got up her sleeve. There’s so much going on in this show, from singing to comedy to improv to licking, you’ll never get bored watching it.

Munn has OCD and she wields it like a comedic weapon. She jabs and slices at her audience and draws laughs instead of blood. It never feels dangerous, nor does it feel like she’s punching down at the condition itself. Instead, she finds nugget after nugget of comedic gold within it, consistently flabbergasted by her own behaviour, and inviting us to share in the absurdity. It provides a cushion of safety surrounding a difficult subject, giving us what we need to feel comfortable laughing. And once we’re settled in, Munn takes us on yet another wild adventure.

It’s this barrage of ideas that keeps the audience on its toes. Munn will transition from speaking to singing (with impeccable vocals), then back again within a single sentence. She’ll make a seemingly throwaway pun then, as if unsatisfied with how far the joke has run, sits down and re-enacts her vision of a Māori Mary Poppins. Nobody asked for this. Everybody loves it. The audience cannot resist laughing at every little thing she does, even when explicitly told not to. Munn exudes natural charm and stage presence that the audience eats up and thanks her for.

The staging is a stroke of genius and I’m amazed it was able to be set up so quickly after the previous show, just half an hour prior to it. I’ll spoil none of the bits associated, but there are constant surprises, and little pockets of on-stage magic that are alone worth the price of admission. Even down to Munn‘s outfit which gives office girlboss, but plays in contrast with the out-of-control content of her jokes.

Thematically, it’s perfect. This is a show about how this one aspect of her life basically takes over. Like an intrusive thought that can’t be resisted, despite her constant disappointment that it does. You empathise with Munn‘s plight, but she nevers strays into pity territory. We don’t feel sorry for her. We think she’s a hilarious, beautiful mess.

Is It Off? is a one-stop shop for any type of comedy you could possibly be looking for. It’s a sidesplitting deep dive into a mind that is constantly shifting, but into a bunch of different waterslides, so you can just sit back and let yourself go down the rabbit hole. It is peak Mo Munn coming at you from all angles.

Oh and there’s a sexy M&M.

Disclosure: As a somewhat active member of the Wellington performing arts community, I may be quite familiar with a number of the performers in this show. Having said that, I am not a liar, and there is zero bias in my reviews, shut up.

Also, tickets were provided to me for free by the production. Literally changes nothing, though.