Beauty, brains and comedic chops – Perth comedian Elouise Eftos knows she’s a triple threat and she’s not ashamed to celebrate it – and nor should she be.
Her hit show, 'Australia’s First Attractive Comedian', has resonated with audiences both nationally and internationally, thanks to Eftos' sharp wit, confidence and willingness to do comedy her way.
“I don’t do self-deprecating humour. I don’t want to”, Eftos explains while preparing for her upcoming Adelaide Fringe season. “['Australia’s First Attractive Comedian'] is silly and fun in a sexy way. I’m proud that it has a message of feminism and looking at things differently and how it tackles the really toxic poppy syndrome that Australians suffer from. I really love that people are resonating with that message – especially women – that we don’t need to put ourselves down to make other people feel comfortable and if I can use comedy to do that, then I think that’s pretty cool.”
After touring around Australia, Eftos took her show overseas where she received rave reviews from UK fans, and was also nominated for Best Newcomer at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe – being the first Australian woman to ever be nominated for the honour. Now she’s set to bring 'Australia’s First Attractive Comedian' to Adelaide Fringe, along with a work in progress show, 'The Trophy'.
“This show is a work in progress of part two, which is part of what I envision to be a trilogy and basically it’s about how I’ve never been in love and if I don’t know if it’s real. The first show is why I am Australia’s first attractive comedian, and why I called myself that, and this show is the consequences of playing that persona and also just being a woman, and exploring can I truly find love in this society that we live in?”
As one of Australia’s hottest new comedians, Eftos is not without her critics, especially the keyboard warriors who critique why, as a feminist, she’s even looking for love. “I mean, is it pathetic to still want a man? Are we meant to hate them? I want to be empowered and independent? But will I truly find love if I give up my independence? We as a society aren’t connected anymore, we are so individualised and that makes me sad.”
“Everybody is scared to put themselves out there – everyone wants to be wanted and nobody wants to want. Also playing this persona there are heightened versions of me with that, but it’s also to be desired is currency, but to desire is a liability, and that sort of sums this show up. I’m excited to test out this material in Adelaide – it’s a topical conversation.”
As a work in progress version, Eftos says audiences can expect different things every night as she “figures it out”.
“It’s a little more silly billy and loosey goosey than 'Australia’s First Attractive Comedian', and I want to teach people, and myself, not to be scared to be vulnerable, to open ourselves up. I want to change people’s ideas and my own about love, relationships, sex and the way we treat people.”
'Australia’s First Attractive Comedian' plays Le Cascadeur at The Garden Of Unearthly Delights (Adelaide Fringe) 17-22 February. 'The Trophy' plays Drama Llama at Rhino Room (Adelaide Fringe) 24-28 February.
