When Diana Nguyen tells you she’s going all in, she means it.
Dressed in a blue jumpsuit, Nguyen’s new show ‘All In’ is worlds apart from her previous work, ‘Chasing Keanu Reeves’. Back then she was painfully single. Now, she’s found someone because she went ‘all in’. Head over heels in love and keen to make it work, Nguyen dives deep into her latest and greatest new stories but with the same charismatic energy and contagious humour that she’s known for.
‘All In’ isn’t just about Diana Nguyen finding love. It addresses the intergenerational trauma of being the daughter of a Vietnamese refugee while acknowledging her mother’s strength and finding her own.
In ‘All In’, Diana displays comedic physicality retelling how she tried to show a guy she’s the coolest chick he’s dated – by surfing. This is despite her fear of swimming which is something she feels she inherited from her headstrong Asian mother.
As funny as the stories were, they were also very true and I really like that about Nguyen’s content. While she can be self-depreciating, it doesn’t go too far as the show remains light and delightful. Diana appears friendly, genuine, naturally funny, and is an excellent storyteller. It only helps that ‘All In’ is an entertaining and well-written show.
While she is an expert at crowd-work, she does tend to talk a lot mostly to the front row. But she’s never intimidating. In fact, Diana Nguyen is infectiously likeable, not only due to her snort-laugh, but because of how vulnerable she is.
Fearless and cheeky, Nguyen is willing to share her age, disclose her abundance of vibrators, talk about pubic hair, her vagina, and addresses the trauma she experienced with her mum while in a retail store. No matter the topic, Nguyen isn’t ashamed to share all the juicy details and more. ‘All In’ is crazy fun and inspire us to laugh along the way. Whether at her or with her, it doesn’t matter because Nguyen is just happy you’re laughing.
I don’t think I could ever be that raw, let alone to an audience, so I’m in awe how Nguyen accomplishes this so openly, effortlessly, and unfiltered. She also sings and dances during her 50-minute show. I’m not sure what she eats or drinks to help her be so in tune, chipper, peppy, and vibrant every night. But whatever it is, I want what she’s having!
Diana Nguyen may not be a professional dancer or singer by any means, but she is a professional comedian! She indisputably has some decent dance moves, can hold a tune, and can successfully throw in her own spin on songs. This is evident when Nguyen sings about her love for bubble tea to the instrumental track of Kelis’ ‘Milkshake’. Not only does she execute this masterfully, especially for someone who doesn’t have a trained voice, but she gets the audience involved to sing along with her. And you know what? It made me want a bubble tea by the end of the show. Why isn’t this show sponsored by a bubble tea company?
Diana Nguyen has been a staple of the comedy circuit for several years now, and rightly so. ‘All In’ is a heart-warming riot and is not to be missed. So do like Diana and go 100% all in.
Diana Nguyen is is performing ‘All In’ as part of the 2023 Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
For more information and ticketing, visit:
https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2023/shows/going-all-in
https://www.diananguyen.com.au
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