In her solo debut, Sydney comedian Thalia-Joan bursts onto the stage in a flurry of colour and sequins – but as she stoically tells the audience, she is not Thalia, she is “Thalia’s subconscious”, and don’t you dare let Thalia know she’s come out to play.
Too Much is an hour of musings on life as a single woman at almost-thirty – with two lockdowns, multiple failed career ventures and flat-lined relationships in her wake. With a strong comedic voice and the musical comedy chops to match it, the brazenly funny Thalia-Joan weaves a deceptively clever and introspective tale as she riffs on fraught family dynamics and feeling disconnected in a relentlessly “connected” world. Hecklers and late arrivals be warned, she holds her own with the quick-wit and dirty humour you’d expect of a veteran of the stand-up stage.
As she airs her dirty laundry in the best way she knows how – with a microphone, a stage and a keyboard backup – Thalia unpicks the contradictions of how she often has “too much” asked of her (often by her family), while simultaneously is being told she is “too much” (most recently by a guy she was on a date with).
Filling the Factory Theatre’s tiny Matchbox stage with energy at the Laugh Outta Lockdown festival when we saw it on December 2, this is a promising hour of comedy from a fresh talent who recently turned to stand-up after trying everything else. If you’ve ever been told you’re “too much”, this is the show you need to see. Comedy is cheaper than therapy, and she’s been giving both a red hot go. Even if you can’t relate on a personal level, you can still get a laugh out of her misfortunes.