Review: Hannah Gadsby's WOOF! at Abrons Arts Center Is Everything

I'll say it again... Hannah Gadsby’s Woof! is Everything.

Stepping into the Abrons Arts Center for the first time, I was charmed by the warmth of the space and staff. As the audience settled in, soft tunes floated through the room, setting the mood for the night ahead. The stage, draped in blue, awaited the arrival of Hannah Gadsby. Their entrance may have been understated, but the way the sound and lights merged made it quietly beautiful—just the first of many subtle, powerful moments.

Hannah began as most comics do, offering observations on the world. But don’t be fooled—Woof! is not just another stand-up routine, and Hannah is not your typical comic. For 80 mesmerizing minutes, they invite us into their unique lens on life, offering insights on everything from Barbie to fascism, whales to Taylor Swift, fleshlights, feminism, AI, cabbage patch dolls, religion, plastic plants, biscuits, root vegetables, sleep disorders, sex, branding, autism, and grief. Yes—everything. And when I say that, I mean everything.

The brilliance of Gadsby’s show doesn’t just lie in the variety of topics but in the way they weave them together into a tapestry of ideas that is somehow both hysterically absurd and deeply logical. Jaws dropped, minds were altered. What makes this even more remarkable is how they manage to say a thousand things without ever saying the thing. Hannah doesn’t deliver their message with a sledgehammer—they plant the seeds and let us arrive at the revelations ourselves.

Their vision of the world is singular.

As much as Woof! is about the content, it’s also about connection. Hannah’s banter with the audience felt effortless and joyful, making every moment feel fresh, as if the show were unfolding spontaneously just for us. Their mastery of callbacks is boss level—just when you think a joke has landed, they bring it back with a new twist, adding yet another delectable layer to the comedy Mille crêpes.

Imagine Dick Tracy with the heart of Jessica Fletcher—Hannah Gadsby is a no-nonsense detective, uncovering revelatory connections that have been hiding in plain sight all along.

At its core, Woof! is laced with deep messages—ones I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since I walked out of that theater, thinking and laughing (and once crying, when the truths hit a little too close to home), and I know I’ll continue to for a long time. Thank you, Hannah, for a few minutes of seeing the world through your eyes.

PS: Watching them on TV is great, but being in the room with them is an entirely different experience. This show's undercurrent is connection—treat yourself to this hysterical evening in person.

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Hannah Gadsby's Woof! runs through October 27th. For tickets, click here.

To learn more about Hannah Gadsby, visit their website.

Photo Credit, including header image: David Urbanke

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