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Review: Hannah Gadsby Gets Tongues Wagging in “Woof”
October 7, 2024, 2:50.34 am ET

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Photo: David Urbanke

By Brian Scott Lipton

If there’s something we’ve learned through experiencing the work of the brilliant Australian stand-up comic Hannah Gadbsy – who skyrocketed to international fame with “Nanette” -- is that while you might come for the jokes, you’ll leave thinking about many of the issues, large and small, we face in the world. That proves true once again with their latest solo piece, “Woof,” now in a limited run at the Abrons Arts Center.

In fact, Gadsby (who uses they/them/their) lets us know early on that the show will be about the “big questions,” although unsurprisingly, they save the really big questions on their mind (and maybe ours) for the show’s far more serious second half -- and concerns some topics that are best left undisclosed here.

In fact, all of Gadsby’s material is best experienced not just live, but unknown until you hear it in person – so I’d actually advise everyone to stop reading and simply head to the show (even if the Abrons is almost literally situated at the end of the earth).

Should you keep reading, I will disclose that much of the show’s guffaw-inducing first half features pointed potshots at both the music and fandom of Taylor Swift (“a can of Coke masquerading as a sorority cult”), the reasons Gadsby didn’t like the movie “Barbie” or why it didn’t make her think of feminism, a fascination of sorts with lesbian soccer players, what happened to all the Cabbage Patch Kids bought in the 1980s, their love of whales, and Gadsby’s general dislike of social media. Many of these subjects will become recurring themes and end up tied into the more serious part of the show.

What one has to admire about Gadsby, on top of their impeccable comic timing, is their scrupulous honesty – and not just about society. Gadbsy has no qualms discussing being autistic (and how that relates to their anxiety), the sexual spectrum, and their genial acceptance that it doesn’t matter if every audience gets every reference and, therefore, may not laugh at every joke. Gadbsy also ends up being scrupulously honest about a couple of things – major and minor – that they absolutely didn’t need to confess to us.

Most importantly we might actually hate Gadsby on some level for admitting that they now only stay in “posh hotels” now, sleeps with two mattress toppers, and is severely uncomfortable with their current level of fame and wealth (of course, your level of pettiness may vary), but one really has to cheer Gadsby for achieving the ability – wanted or not – to live the proverbial dog’s life.

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