Anna Joy – The Pilgrim's Regress. Review.

6.45pm @ Trades Hall
Reviewed by Mark Tregonning, Thursday 27 March 2008

Anna Joy played one of the tiny rooms in the basement of Trades Hall to a near capacity crowd the night I attended. She is a foul-mouthed ex-christian from a small town who is now a born again "filthy slurry" seeking pleasure in the arms of (multiple) men.

The show mixes songs that Anna accompanies herself with on piano and guitar. They're mostly covers with a few words skillfully replaced to fit Anna's purposes, but there was a Nick Cave song that I’m pretty sure was played verbatim and was surprisingly touching.

From what I could tell the story is loosely autobiographical and that gives this show a friendliness and intimacy that some shows lack. Anna is constantly playing between letting the audience in on her secrets and distancing us with the odd shocking F-bomb dropped from her filthy mind. The show is sexually explicit but it didn't seem forced. I enjoyed it, but it wouldn't be for everyone.

Season runs until 13 April. For more information on the show or to book online see her Comedy Festival Page: https://www.comedyattrades.com.au/ticketing/show_30/ (but I feel compelled to add that some of the details about the show, like the presence of her brother, are incorrect!).