Woof!

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Comedian Hannah Gadsby became an international sensation with their Netflix Special Nanette, in which they revealed traumatic episodes from their past along with a slew of jokes. Gadsby’s latest, Woof!, now at the gorgeous Abrons Arts Center, is more focused on laughs than serious matters, but it still has some serious moments.

“What’s up with whales?” Gadsby asks, apropos of nothing. They promise the question will make sense later, and it does. Gadsby uses more references than usual, and says that not everyone is going to get all of them. Most of their audience is too young to know who Laura Palmer is, for example, but everyone remembers the Barbie movie.

Gadsby has a way with a sentence. “I think I’m being negged by my algorithm,” they say, to knowing laugher from the crowd (who, it should be said, absolutely adores them). This leads into a bit about social media, and cleverly compares fleshlights to Silicon Valley.

Gadsby isn’t afraid to go after sacred cows, stating confidently, “I don’t love Taylor Swift.” They promise that they have achieved a level of success so that they now have as much money as Taylor does – “before she started recording music.”

The serious parts mostly deal with the death of their father. While this is indeed sad, it is nowhere near as heavy a reveal as what was discussed in Nanette.

Gadsby is a master performer, simultaneously scripted and totally in the moment. Several times they broke from what was planned to react to something that was happening in the room, making each performance unique and special.

The show looks terrific. The production design is by Oona Curley, based on an original design by director Jenney Shamash. Credit is due to Ms. Shamash for making everything run smoothly.

Don’t wait for the inevitable run on Netflix – if you can get a ticket, go see Woof! live.

Woof! (through October 27, 2024)

Mike & Carlee Productions, What a Quokka, in association with Token Events

Abrons Arts Center, 466 Grand Street, in Manhattan

For tickets, visit http://www.hannahgadsby.com.au/

Running time: 80 minutes without an intermission