Storming on to the stage with the kind of energy needed to lift a tired Friday night crowd out of their end-of-week slump, Bea Barbeau-Scurla and Edan McGovern joyfully pulled us all on to their level with ease.
Kicking the show off with ten or so minutes of playful banter between the two, it was clear to see that Bea and Edan gelled well together, their natural on-stage chemistry making us wonder, was this section was planned or off the cuff? Either way, it was a fun, light and enjoyable way to kick off their show, setting the tone and nicely easing the audience in.
The show was set up as a classic split bill format, but the duo had put a little more thought into the structure than some, riffing on their title and using voice overs to playfully set the show as if we were at an in-patient facility. To transition from the casual chatty tone they had kicked off with, a voice interrupted letting us know that Edan needed to leave the stage, and we were left in the capable hands of Bea.
Bringing a wildly manic energy, Bea whipped through 20 minutes or so of material that gently touched on topics of tricky mental heath, difficult mums and navigating unemployment. As she bounced about the stage, the crowd was wrapped up in her personal brand of chaos, following along with her stories and gleefully giggling along. Bea delivered a well-paced set, with clear structure and flow, before welcoming Edan back to take the stage.
While the energy levels slowed a little when Edan returned to the stage, attacking her 20-minute set with a more laid-back approach by comparison, it worked well as the audience relaxed alongside her. Edan tackled some similar topics to Bea, with mental health being a prominent theme throughout the whole show. Edan delivered a playful and upbeat set – even when the subjects became a little dark – that had the crowd joyfully following along.
The duo wrapped up their show with the same high energy that they kicked off with, bringing the show full circle.
'Make Women Insane Again' was a fun experience of old school, simple stand-up. Bea and Edan demonstrated that they have a good handle on their craft and know how to win an audience over, keeping them on their side throughout the show.
