Presented by Lucy Gransbury
Reviewed 13 March 2018
Local Adelaide comedian and actress, Lucy Gransbury, takes the audience on a humorous journey deep into the depths of her mental health as the somewhat taboo subject of anxiety takes centre stage in this one-woman comedy show.
Anxiety is a mental health issue that at least one in twelve Australians suffers with every year, yet we rarely see it presented on stage, especially within the genre of comedy. Well, Lucy Gransbury is here to change all that, basing her hilarious 2018 Adelaide Fringe show on her experiences with this mental health disorder. From guided meditation tapes to her unrealistic goal of pleasing everyone (even when trying to buy their love with chocolate), Gransbury enlightens her audience on the condition’s manifestations in her life, but in the most entertaining way possible.
She also takes us on a whirlwind tour of her childhood and the various acts her psychologist has pointed out are definitely signs of anxiety at a young age. These included discovering there’s apparently a weird way to wash your hands and never being able to let that go, an odd tween obsession with Ian Thorpe that evolved into very unusual, cringe worthy behaviour, and acting on teenage crushes in incredibly unhealthy ways (superglue was involved).
I’m Fine! also features a range of songs, both popular and unknown, that Gransbury has hilariously redefined with her own lyrics inspired heavily by her anxiety and how it has affected her life. From the Spice Girls’ popular hit Wannabe to The Sound of Music’s historically loved Do-Re-Mi, our leading lady slips in her own amusing and personal lines inspired by sad nap times, comfort eating junk food, making up problems in her head and an over-reliable wine-habit. Gransbury also proves with these songs that she’s more than just an actress and comedian, entertainingly belting out pop hits as well as delicately performing classic favourites to the audience’s delight.
It’s no surprise that Gransbury has had sell-out seasons in not only Adelaide but also the Barossa Valley, Melbourne and Sydney with her previous shows which include Dorothy Parker’s Sweet Release of Death, Tell Me About Yourself, Funny Face, Decadent and Radelaide.
I’m Fine! is an absolute hit, realistically addressing a topic society still has trouble discussing whilst leaving the audience in fits of laughter in the process.
Reviewed by Georgina Smerd
Twitter: @Georgie_xox
Rating out of 5: 4
Venue: The Balcony Room at The Griffins Hotel, 38 Hindmarsh Square, Cnr Grenfell & Pulteney St, Adelaide, SA, 5000
Season: 13 – 18 March
Duration: 60 mins
Tickets: $23 – $30
Bookings: https://adelaidefringe.com.au/fringetix/i-m-fine-af2018
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