DEAR FUTURE EX HUSBANDS is a warning of sorts from Annisa Belonogoff. It’s playing as part of the Sydney Fringe and after seeing the show tonight it’s not exactly clear how many dearly beloveds she intends to have. What is evident is that with such an energetic, eccentric way of looking at life more than several might be on the cards.
This is the first solo Fringe stand-up show from this polymath creative artist who has an impressive resume of work and a rich vein of absurdity … the latter might well be genetic if her hilarious impressions of her Russian father are anything to go by. There was no shortage of nerves tonight but that seemed to give her quirk a place to vibrate and we were treated to some funny, well thought through, set pieces and lots of terrific off the cuff stuff.
That joke works better if I tell it properly … she tells us. Charming. And awfully even-tempered with poor flustered techie, Jeremy. And yes I agree, the show has a great title!
Her set pieces showcase her responses to events like a solo Valentine’s Day or the recent Royal Marriage and a very relatable crisis situation in the women’s bathroom. Solidarity ensured there but Annisa is not afraid of the darker side of female nature. Oh no. With some absurdities shared, she fluidly brings women into her world, and their blokes along with them, but when the engagement shit gets schadenfreuded she is happy to embrace the lesser female self.
She shares her questing for ex-husbands in an open and enthusiastically improbable way with enough gags to keep the show rolling and a responsive rapport with the small, but must be scarily close, audience. Even the snorty ones. She moves around a great deal in the small space without being too frenetic and even through her nerves, keeps her voice at volume.
And her even less inhibited alter-ego, Elizabeth Dawson, who has her own webseries, is the least good advertising for a husband that I have ever seen. She will hurl herself around the stage while encouraging the audience to stroke her undiminished ego. And when that all goes to custard her adlibbing hits a home run.
Annisa is aided in this show by a very funny Sam Menzies who warms up the watchers with some lively personal geography and a green hat that Annisa apparently told him not to begin with. But at least he kept his clothes on! She has apparently warned him about that too.
You only have 2 more chances to hear Annisa Belonogoff [Facebook] preparing her spouses for what they are in for. DEAR FUTURE EX-HUSBANDS will play Thu 30th Aug 2018 – 7:00 pm and Sat 1st Sep 2018 – 7:00 pm as part of the Sydney Fringe.
