Review - Longing Lasts Longer

Penny Arcade

Longing Lasts Longer (USA)

Melbourne Comedy Festival

The Famous Spiegeltent at Arts Centre Melbourne

Until 3 April at 7pm Tuesday to Saturday and 6pm Sunday – 70 mins

Penny Arcade is back and her show at the Spiegeltent Longing Lasts Longer is surely the hot ticket of the Comedy Festival! But be warned it is for the thinking punter who enjoys confrontational ideas.  See it if you have a genuine interest in cultural change, adaptation, the curved balls life throws at us and you really do have a sense of humour because at times it is shockingly forthright.

Ms Arcade is a lively early sixty something – going on forty.  She is such a sincere entertainer who communicates from the heart, but, as a ‘gutsy gal who has been round the block a number of times’ she is not afraid to tell it like it is.

As a woman, who lived on the cutting edge of the sixties and seventies, Arcade, looks just like a cuddly cupie doll in a cute redress but don’t let that fool you - her show is full of keen insights and acute invective – she’s sharp. 

Over the past couple of decades Penny Arcade who’s real name is Susana Carmen Ventura has been presenting her amazing show Bitch! Dyke! Fag Hag! Whore! to lucky audiences all over the world.  And now Daniel Clarke has pulled strings to bring her to Melbourne for this year’s Comedy Festival. 

Ok this show isn’t for everyone.  It bashes away at some of our ‘holy cows.’  She is particularly offended by, and hostile about, gentrification.  She articulates some very strong and striking home truths about a number of things including male homosexuality.  She hammers Brisbane and suggests that Melbourne’s beautiful young women would ‘strut around’ in Ugg-boots, if you could strut around in Ugg-boots.  Really not in Australia’s cultural capital!

She expresses the deep disturbing horror of losing a huge number of friends to the AIDs virus and the humiliating difficulties of not being able to maintain an enduring romantic relationship.  She is nothing if not courageous and vital.

This reviewer found her show wonderfully affirming, deeply funny and insightful, and yes, - a bit like a motivational talk full of belly laughs and an anthem to gleaning wisdom as one ages. 

Other shows pale into insignificance.

Don’t miss it if you can get a ticket!

Suzanne Sandow

(For Stage Whispers)

Footnote:  I feel like I was pulled backwards through a wringer to be totally affirmed.  This woman is amazing.