Split between two comedians, Over It aims to lift the curtain on the taboo subjects of death and anorexia through the medium of laughter - and it kind of works. Some of the jokes cut pretty close to the bone but this production is built to push the boundaries of what we feel comfortable not just talking about, but laughing about. The material never crosses the line into awkward or offensive; the whole atmosphere of the evening was calm and relaxed. Dave Chawner and Robyn Perkins are both skilled at putting an audience at ease and I found myself genuinely laughing out loud a surprising number of times.
Personally, I enjoyed Dave’s act on male anorexia slightly more than Robyn’s set on the death of her partner but both comedians perform to a high standard. Both connected well with the audience without resorting to audience ridicule; Dave, in particular, should applauded for not being put off by having a drunken stag party guffawing and heckling obnoxiously throughout most of his act.
Over It raises important points about the role comedy plays in dealing with sensitive issues and how laughter can defuse the stigma surrounding subjects that have, for whatever reason, traditionally been kept quiet. For a performance that makes you think as well as laugh, look no further than Over It.
