Comedy Festival review: Glamourpuss, Ruby Esther

Ruby Esther. Photo / Supplied

When Ruby Esther mentions during her latest Comedy Festival show Glamourpuss that she's only 22, it's a little surprising, if only because she has already picked up a number of major awards, namely winning the RAW Comedy Quest and the Best Debut back-to-back.

She also steps onto stage at The Basement Theatre with an assurance matched by few others. It helps that Esther has a wondrous point of view that's matched with this confidently unconfident persona that combines to make a subtle but powerfully funny hour.

Esther started strong discussing her anxieties and fears – her joke about how anxiety is like being a conspiracy theorist but all the theories are about her is one of my favourite jokes of the festival. She picked at that theme for much of the show, and despite it being a regular topic for many comedians, Esther's point of view, approach and delivery made it feel fresh.

She describes her comedy as clean, and she is probably the most family-friendly comedian to perform at 10.30 at night this festival, which feels like poor scheduling for someone who can maintain such a cheerful demeanour while discussing topics as serious as anxiety or the death of a grandparent.

Having seen her at the Comedy Gala and Basement Preview show, I was expecting a far more musically infused show, but there were just the two from the latter performance – one that's painfully funny about getting a gynaecological exam, the other listing the qualities she wants in her ideal man.

Esther has one of the best voices of the musical comedians out there, and her songwriting is as sharp as her comedy. The second song is well crafted both lyrically and melodically and is an easy highlight of her show.

The only issue is it doesn't quite fit in with the first half of the show. After some fairly excellent poetry – her final one discussing what an ex resembles is a brutal joy – Esther segues in a discussion about her exes. There were some great jokes in this section, particularly around why she thinks an ex liked her dog more than her, but it wasn't as strong as the rest of the show and felt like it was there to set the scene for the far superior song.

It was disappointing as the hour had been so strong, but going down this path slowed it right down. Esther is clearly naturally talented both as a comedian and a musician, and I loved the majority of Glamourpuss, and a tighter ending would have sealed the deal.

What: Glamourpuss, Ruby Esther
Where: Basement Theatre, until May 22