Cal Wilson
Lively
Nova Cinemas
Until Sat 15 March


Cal Wilson loves her cats, Spook and Pod, and they feature heavily in this wonderfully light-hearted stand up comedy romp that takes us behind the scenes of her home life.

But before that; a short poetry recital from her 'cousin' Adele. A desperate misguided feminist, Adele takes to the stage with short odes to monthly mountain bike rides, circumcision and orgasms ("a cataclysm in my chasm, according to my gran who has 'em"), as well as pointing out the irony in ironing. On stage, Wilson certainly lives up to her show's title, 'Lively'. Barefoot and barely still for a moment, Wilson excitedly darts about the stage as she tells of her move to Australia four years ago and of her recent marriage to near faultless husband, Chris, and how they chose to live in the less desirable and erroneously named Melbourne suburb of Sunshine.

Loving Australia but not our highly venomous backyards, Wilson makes comparisons to her laid back homeland of New Zealand where other than having nothing that will kill you and the national bird is ridiculous looking, they also have a flightless bat. Despite our dangerous flora and fauna, she then tells of how not to dry a wet cat with a pedestal fan and how a bite from Spook turned to repeat surgery to her hand, and of the predatory pick lines used by men in pubs.

Ever friendly and chatty to her audience, Wilson is welcome addition to the Aussie comedy scene and no doubt we'll be calling her our own before too long. Because, as she's already proven, she can stop an Emu in its tracks.

Steve Jones