This piece was published before the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
Comedian and ABC podcast host Ange Lavoipierre brings us face-to-face with God (or close enough anyway) in her new show 'Zealot'.
'Zealot' is a demented excavation of all the ways God is explained to us. From Santa-based existentialism to Bible camp, and a latter-day detour into Tarot, one-time true believer Ange Lavoipierre charts the course from ten-year-old evangelist to fully-fledged heathen.
“When people come to see 'Zealot', they should expect true stories, an encounter with the blue Google Maps dot, literal bones and an element of chaos,” Ange says.
“They should also expect to see me in my underwear. It's deeply silly, but on the other hand its themes are big. It's about forgiveness and how faith is constructed.”
'Zealot' is Ange's second hour of comedy and sees her extend her performance repertoire.
“I'm really enjoying doing characters, which is not something I've done in my own shows before,” she explains.
“Religion is a stupidly big topic, so I'm enjoying that challenge. I also love seeing people's faces when they're caught off guard by this show, and they usually are.”
Ange is also the co-creator, writer and co-star of the original comedy web series 'Impostors', and is the cello accompanist for acclaimed improv outfit Bear Pack.
“I want people to be able to properly laugh at harmful parts of religion, because I think that's cathartic and healthy,” Ange says of her intentions with 'Zealot'.
“I want people to be able to better understand themselves and their common hunger for forgiveness, but most of all I want them to laugh at me running around without any pants on.”
