NOTE: I had to leave just over halfway through the show due to a prior commitment 🙁

Sometimes you get an idea, and you just gotta do it.

That’s what the demented minds of Emma Jean, Anya Rzhevitskaya, and Daniel John Smith have done with their insanely long titled show, Comedians getting tattoed and doing stand-up while sitting down in a sterile environment with you watching, to be abbreviated as CGTADSWSDSEWYW going forward because Jesus Christ you guys, pixels are expensive and I’m not paid by the word (I’m not paid at all).

The concept is self-evident. Comedians attempt to tell jokes while being stabbed repeatedly by tattoo artist, Pearl Watson. There’s a definite Distraction vibe coming out of the Fringe Bar and the humour is found in the comedians’ attempts to focus on their material, rather than the material itself. It’s a really cool subversion on classic comedy. Any given performance by any stand-up is usually performed to the audience, then immediately dissipates into the ether of their collective consciousness. In this case, there’s a permanence that manifests in art form on the comedians’ choice of skin patch.

But it’s not the comedians’ choice of art. Sort of. The audience is asked to vote on which work of art the comedian will have tattooed on their bodies. There are two choices per comedian, although there’s little difference between the two (apart from Katy Borrows‘ choice, who offers a decision between a sheep or a cup of bubble tea). It’s a neat trick to get the audience feeling complicit in what’s about to happen, whilst still ensuring that the comedians aren’t putting anything crazy off-brand for them.

And that feeds into the kind of material the comedians end up doing. Anya Rzhevitskaya picks a red flag, with most of her material being based on the those of boyfriends past. Her deadpan delivery with a massive side serving of cheekiness has the audience in consistent giggles and snapping fingers. Her constant stories, some of which involve tattoo artist, Pearl Watson, keep her momentum rolling.

Ivan Fadjukoff follows with a similar, but differently intentioned deadpan energy. His minimalist delivery allows him to clearly communicate his points, with long ramp-ups to build tension. His best moments are when his wandering attention gets the better of him and he turns to check what’s going on on his ankle. He feels more natural at this point, riffing off the absurdity of the situation.

After the break, we kick back into things with Emma Jean, who brings slideshow comedy and a bit more structure to proceedings. It’s immediately clear that the projector is off-centre and the presentation difficult to read, which aligns perfectly with the madcap, mischievous mind that lurks between her ears. She delights in stories of trolling her mother, while the audience cheers in support.

It was, unfortunately, at this point that I had to leave, so I did miss all of Katy Borrows‘ set. I have, however, seen Katy’s work previously, so I’m going to review on how I imagine it went. Pull quotes are pull quotes, baby. Borrows loves to complain and her greatest strength is turning an apathetic audience into fervent supporters of her cause. She is loaded with cheeky asides and when she starts to develop a paranoia that her tattoo will end up inviting her child to grab it, the audience winces alongside her in that hypothetical pain. (Again, a reminder that I didn’t see Katy’s set, none of this might have happened, I’m improvising here).

In terms of the show meeting its goals, it really does when the comedians allow themselves to get distracted by Pearl and the rest of the audience. The biggest laughs of the night come from the audiences calling out whenever they hear a red flag, and the comedians respond in kind. For a city that struggles to get any sort of crowdwork rolling, it’s a really good effort in making the audience feel safe enough to participate.

CGTADSWSDSEWYW is a fun, snappy show that delivers exactly what it promises. With a strong community base that responds to the absurdity with gusto, the show fosters a comfortable environment, despite the boldness of the premise. Whether this is a one-off work of art, or the beginning of a sleeve on the Wellington comedy scene, it’s a concept bursting with potential.

A total green flag.

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.