Review by Tatum Stafford
The 2023 Perth Fringe Festival marks musical comedian Gabbi Bolt’s first performance on our side of the country, and I’m sure everyone who was lucky enough to catch her show ‘Odd Sock’ would agree that it’s been well worth the wait to witness her incredible talents up close and personal at The Rechabite’s intimate Good Will Club.
Gabbi’s award-winning debut show ‘I Hope My Keyboard Doesn’t Break’ received rave reviews over east, so it was a real joy to be treated to her latest show, ‘Odd Sock’, before it makes its way around the rest of the country.
The show is a tight, hilarious, and entertaining 60 minutes, covering a range of topics that span from things that keep her up at night, to her love of a certain celebrity who often dons a red spider-suit and who once performed in a 6-hour-long Broadway show (and yes, Gabbi watched all six hours’ worth).
The song that resonated with me most, however, was her brand-new ballad that highlighted the darker side of a bender; that nothing looks good, tastes good, or feels good after 3am. It was really poignant, beautifully written, and grounded the show in a really emotive and powerful way. It was almost disarming, thrown in amongst the jabs at Andrew Bolt and the cost of the housing market, and was such an impressive interlude. I need a recording of it ASAP.
Her witty and highly relatable songs, sprinkled with a dose of audience interaction and some super impressive piano playing and vocals, put Gabbi’s clear talents on full display and make for a very entertaining evening.
If you ever get the chance to catch Gabbi in action, don’t miss it! I’ll be first in line for tickets when she (hopefully) returns to Perth Fringe in the future.
Image Supplied