[Force of Comedy]
For some comedians, the date by which they’re required to submit a show title to the New Zealand International Comedy Festival occurs well before they’ve had the chance to consider the exact content of the work. Brinestorm, however, could not be a more appropriate name for Billy T Award nominee Alice Brine. Embracing her ADHD, Brine takes us on a whirlwind journey into the mind of the Wellington-based comedian with the kind of frenzy that obliterates the line between madness and genius.
With to her rapid-fire and capricious delivery, Brine comes across as the kind of comedian who could make anything funny, as long as the topic interested her enough to stay focussed on it. From her morning routine to office life, Brine shares the inner workings of her mind on a typical day, which, for her, is anything but an atypical process.
Most importantly, Brine never uses her ADHD as a cheap gag. Instead, she uses it as a catalyst to invite us to into her comedic world. It’s not her that we laugh at, but the situations in which she finds herself, an example of how accessible an even the most extreme circumstance can be when there’s an honest person at the core of it. Add some flat politics and a sexual encounter, and by the end of the hour, which has flown by, the show has been an impressive, if not intensive, introduction to one of the countries funniest new comedians.
Brinestorm is performed by Alice Brine and plays at The Basement Studio until May 14 as part of the NZ International Comedy Festival 2016. For details see the Comedy Festival.
SEE ALSO: Theatreview.org.nz review by Nik Smythe
Leave a Reply