By Hooi Khaw
Tracey Mole debuts her show Risk Taker to a friendly audience with a comfortable ratio of friends and family, to punters. There is always the potential that these type of anecdotal shows by young, inexperienced performers will rely too heavily on the crutches of familiarity and in-jokes directed towards the audience members with the affiliation, but the few personal digs in the show are well crafted and easy to enjoy as a punter.
The structure of this show loosely relates to āRisk Takingā, in the framework of Moleās personal stories. The story telling is extremely engaging, and Mole sprinkles in genuine moments of vulnerability amongst the jokes, the combination of which her crowd laps up. Her ability to make the stranger details from her life funny and amusing is a credit to this up-and-coming comedian.
Her comedy is wonderfully wry; at times absurd, at times bitter sweet. Mole takes the audience down the rabbit holes of her imagination, making humorous comments on these weird realities that she creates.
As a whole piece, it would have been satisfying if the show was tied together more thematically, however, this debut show should be applauded. It is the result of an incredible effort by Mole, whose sense of self and sense of comedy seem well defined and stage ready. In this show, her meta comments about not knowing how to use the mike stand, and not wrapping up the show smoothly come off as charming, and help to build the character. The jokes are well structured and delivered, and with further progress in execution, Mole could become a truly brilliant comedian.
Risk Taker was on at Errol’s & Co.
https://melbournefringe.com.au/event/risk-taker/