More than six years after Nanette propelled them to international stardom, Hannah Gadsby is learning how to process the new world, with all its catastrophes and hypocrisies, from a new perspective. Hannah now finds themself yet again in a place of cultural dissonance, and we all know Hannah does their best work while casting their atypical eye over the fundamental contradictions of life. In this new show that could be seen as the mischievous echo of Nanette, Hannah brings it all – their worries, their wisdom, and their whimsy – to the 330-seat Abrons Arts Center for an intimate and unforgettable evening.
In Nanette, Gadsby spoke movingly about the interplay of punchlines and tension, and the need they have to tell their stories properly—beyond jokes, and beyond making themselves the subject of those jokes. In Woof!, whether that be about coming out, gender identity, the oppression of Netflix, or the meaning of whales, it means Gadsby has written and edited every word and sequence with care, despite the appearance of off-the-cuff-ness. By deploying these words with such dazzling acuity Gadsby means to fight ignorance, stupidity, easy reads, dumb conclusions, and expected tropes. Accordingly, you listen to every word as—right in front of you—they bloom into so many laughs, gut-punch sighs, and vivid meanings.
The poster for the new show by Australian comedian/monologist Hannah Gadsby features the performer without their trademark geeky spectacles. Yet the glasses are back on when Gadsby appears onstage at the Abrons Art Center. If you want to know the reason why, you’ll just have to see Woof!, which represents the performer’s loosest, funniest outing yet.
2024 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway Production Off-Broadway |
Videos