Hannah Camilleri: Dinner Hannah Show comedy review – Character comedy with sharp timing
The comedian darts between wildly different personas in a playful, sharply-observed character showcase
Skilfully set within a theatre production, Hannah Camilleri’s new hour breezes through a bunch of fascinating characters. The show begins gently, leaving the audience curious about what’s to come. Then, Victoria The Actress arrives, fresh from the days of yore, wailing like a banshee as she sprawls across the floor before rising to ask the audience for notes on her performance, generating lots of laughs with her improvised banter.
The next standout is a Scottish investigator probing a murder case, where Camilleri breaks character deliberately to add in a meta layer, with lines about only using words she can pronounce in a Scottish accent delivered with impeccable timing. Fondant is next to the stage, an actor preparing for opening night. She ropes in a well-known director, turning her into his assistant; it’s sharp and funny. The finale is a masterclass in versatility, with Camilleri switching between Victoria and Fondant (represented by an arm) in the same scene. This is precision work between voice and posture, showing Camilleri’s exceptional ability to shift personas completely.
Hannah Camilleri: Dinner Hannah Show concluded at The Chapel at The Courtyard of Curiosities on March 8.