It’s been an honour to witness Lou Wall evolve as a comedian and an artist. They wowed in ‘Bleep Bloop’ with their musicality and funny lyrics, they provided unhinged hilarity with ‘Lou Wall vs. the Internet’, and they’re back at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival with their latest show – ‘The Bisexual’s Lament’, directed by fellow comedian Zoë Coombs Marr.
The Bisexual’s Lament is very different to Lou’s previous works. Although Lou Wall returns to the ACMI Gandel Lab – the room that they had at last year’s festival, equipped with their PowerPoint visual aids, this is where the similarities end from previous shows.
The Bisexual’s Lament is Lou Wall’s light in the darkness. In an epic list that has been culled down for a festival friendly time length, from about 800ish to 69, Lou takes us through the things that made them laugh in what was a shit 2023.
Throughout the show, Lou Wall is essentially sitting in the front seat of a rollercoaster and they’re taking us along for the ride. I’m certain that The Bisexual’s Lament is Lou’s hardest show to tackle simply from the content alone. It’s hard to admit to friends and family that you’re not doing okay, but to turn it into a show for the world is something else entirely.
Lou Wall has always been unfiltered and eager to share all the juicy details of their stories, and while this hasn’t changed, The Bisexual’s Lament is Wall’s most honest and strongest work to date. The way Wall interacts with some of their visuals is great too!
The Bisexual’s Lament is still filled with original songs, but it’s the stories that Lou Wall shares in this brand new show that are the most memorable. Fan favourite ‘#whereisbed’ even makes a triumphant and welcome return. Those who have never seen this segment before will also experience the far superior version.
I’ve not seen Lou this vulnerable before and despite delving deep enough into several serious topics with humour and grace, Lou still consistently and masterfully conjures laughs throughout their hour-long show. Lou’s rollercoaster isn’t just the zany tales, it’s also the emotions that Lou takes you through – surprise, anger, sadness, awe and elation. Within seconds, Lou took me from cry-laughing to being quietly shocked.
Comedy has always been subjective and although I appreciate a good laugh at silly nonsense from time to time, I greatly appreciate the shows that leave me with important topics to think about long after they’re over. Whether intentional or not, Lou Wall has firmly grasped and taken control of the narrative that they previously didn’t have power over. Melding this together with Lou’s signature humour and what you have is an incredible piece of comedy and theatre that is emotionally arresting, fiercely empowering and relatable to many. It’s daring and it’s brilliant.
Slick, smart, unfiltered, honest, courageous and hilarious, Lou Wall is fucking fantastic in The Bisexual’s Lament. This is the first festival run of their brand new work and I’m excited to see how this show develops. It has been a true honour to see the evolution of Lou Wall.
Lou Wall is playing The Bisexual’s Lament at ACMI’s Gandel Lab as part of the 2024 Melbourne International Comedy Festival until the 21st of April.
For more information and ticketing, please visit:
https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2024/shows/the-bisexuals-lament
https://comedy.com.au/tour/lou-wall-the-bisexuals-lament
https://www.facebook.com/TheLouWall
https://www.instagram.com/thelouwall
Photography supplied.