The show is directed by Julian Smith and hosted by Hannah Gadsby’s Gender Agenda. Some of the comedians who appeared at this event include Alok, Dahlia Belles, Chloe Petts, Krishna Istha, Jes Tom, DeAnne Smith and Asha Ward. Hannah Gadsby begins the show by alluding to a past feud with Netflix and jokingly says, “So the last time Netflix brought this many trans people together it was for a protest; So progress,” before proceeding with the real performance.
There is more than just delivering an extended lecture about gender complications in Hannah Gadsby’s Gender Agenda. It has something for everybody from dark humor on serious matters to insightful LGBTQA+ community comments and funny jibes on current issues.
However, it’s British comedian Chloe Petts that steals the show. She adopts a humorous but thought-provoking perspective towards transphobia as seen through her version of being a six-foot lesbian which both entertains and enlightens at once. That X-factor in this stand-up lies in Chloe’s confident and energetic delivery. When you pay attention to Chloe’s performance she’ll give you three kinds of jokes: light humour banter, dark puns and impacting social messages.
Chloe takes her supposed gender too lightly laughing at it especially since most people take her for a man due to her height. She playfully refers to herself as an “If I feels like eating meat today” vegetarian or non-practicing homosexual which points out her willingness to be open minded beyond where she is comfortable staying as an adult which epitomizes what the show stands for.
Dahlia also tells hard truths about transgender women in comedy. Dahlia openly refers to herself as a ‘butt pirate’ even making fun of herself in front of thousands of spectators gathered there that day. Again she is not afraid of making fun about religious matters and is quick to mention that if someone gets annoyed, they can go to hell.
She further states that every human is born equal and should be treated as such no matter what caste, religion or community they belong to. She goes on to say that as far as she is concerned, if you judge people by their gender identity than any homage given after death is void of meaning because it does not truly represent who they were.
Krishna Istha is a non-binary and trans-masculine performer whose sharp tongue leaves us in stitches. In response to the stereotype that a man can live in a woman’s body, his answer was quite witty when he cleverly said we were all once in a woman’s body.
Recently Netflix released “Red Ollero, Mahubay is a Lie,” an alienating Filipino stand-up special which was tough for anyone to bear. Compared to these performances however, Gender Agenda delivers some hit-and-miss comedy. Nevertheless, the idea of basing the whole show on just one theme deserves applause.
As such, Hannah Gadsby’s Gender Agenda feels like something in-between; it’s neither great nor boring but both at the same time. It may have been better done so but it also has its own exceptional style worth watching for.
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