Funny Face: Lucy Gransbury Is Adorkable In Her Pursuit Of Laughs – Adelaide Fringe Review

The Griffins Hotel – Balcony Room, Fri 12 Feb Beginning with an 8 Mile homage while wearing a bejewelled formal dress is a bold choice, but Lucy Gransbury is nothing if not bold. With a level of adorkableness not seen since Zooey Deschanel first coined the phrase, Lucy proves no secret is safe in the pursuit of laughs, plumbing the depths of childhood weirdness and teenage gawkiness to find the gold within a urine soaked sock. In an explanation of the show’s title Lucy spends much of Funny Face demonstrating a Jim Carrey elasticity to her sell-out hometown crowd, while subtly selling a mildly feminist agenda. The old-timey American musical numbers prove to be rich fodder for poking fun at traditional gender roles and take on a new edge when performed in contrast with stories of finding those same views in a bar in 2016. The real highlight of the show is the original song where Lucy stands up for Lucille Ball, Tina Fey and women everywhere and once and for all, proves her point. While not the strongest singer, Lucy’s innate ingenuity and excellent comic timing plays on audience expectations to throw in some unexpectedly bawdy humour and gain the biggest laughs of the night. The show could be improved by tying the stories back to the central theme more convincingly. While this may have been the intention, the final product is perhaps a bit too subtle. Still, each tale of being a weirdo and being ok with it comes across with an unexpected poignancy, which gives the show its heart without diminishing the laughs. Finishing with one of the best tributes to Adelaide ever written, Funny Face is charming, insightful and as funny as it claims to be. And if that hasn’t sold you, the free chocolate will. Nikki Mott Funny Face continues at Griffins Hotel – Balcony Room from 7.30pm until Fri 19 Feb, with an additional show at Angaston’s Old Union Chapel from 7.30pm on Sun 14 Feb. Book at FringeTIX on 1300 621 255 or adelaidefringe.com.au. Click HERE to purchase your tickets.