REVIEW: LOUISA FITZHARDINGE COMMA SUTRA

3.5 out of 5 stars. 

Louisa Fitzharinge (yes that’s a silent ‘e’) is a grammar nerd, and so am I, so this show was a hoot. Her true love, the English language, has lead her to find her other loves- French, German, and Auslan Sign Language, correcting signs in shops that incorrect use apostrophes

The self confessed grammar aficionado is brilliantly clad intights emblazoned with punctuation, makes up limericks on the spot as prizes for audience participation and professes love of the oxford comma and even the Walken comma. Her pronunciation is impeccable, her dad jokes are on point and the show is charismatic and full of puns and word play. She is someone who loves words and language and she also studied French and German and sign language, loving words, their structure, and how they translate in multiple languages and styles. She shares tales of her faux pas, like learning that the words for ‘boat’ and ‘vagina’ are near identical in sign language, and putting that to the tune of Ma Na Ma Na, or the Banana Boat song has the audience in stitches. The show uses delightful words like veracity and mellifluous,   and points out the mistakes in “12 items or less” (it should be ’12 items or fewer’) and teaches you the correct place to put commas. Inspired by popular culture, memes and YouTube videos, like the ‘grammar saves lives’ memes and the YouTube video “German Versus Other Langauges”, the show brings the best gags about punctuation and grammar to the stage, paired with dad jokes and song.

Combining this love with her love of musical theatre and performance, she claims this is the only use of her multiple arts degrees.  She’s an award winning performer, and often appears with Melbourne improvisation groups, on the Australian Shakespeare Company stages and as part of a touring production of Godspell, and the first run of this show sold out at Melbourne Cabaret Festival.  Fitzharinge’s stage presence and charm shines as she interacts with the audience, she’s a talented vocalist and musician, and her quick wit makes this show both fun and funny, and a real treat for lovers of theatre and literature.

Accompanied by Greg Lovell on piano, the cabaret is clever, bright and bubbly with clever covers of Anything Goes, clever word play about the Karma Sutra, and how to bed a grammarian. She raps, and she closes the show with the rational anthem, a cover of ‘I’m Australian (We are One)’ by the Seekers. The audience clap along and cheer for the daggy jokes and puns, and have a delight speaking to Louisa after the she as she hands out copies of the Comma Sutra, her best tips to be a lover of a lover of words.

English teachers, word nerds and oxford comma enthusiasts unite for this show, on at The Butterfly Club until 9 April. Info and tickets at: https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2017/shows/comma-sutra

This article first appeared at: http://www.theatrepeople.com.au/louisa-fitzhardinge-comma-sutra/ on 3 April 2017