COMEDY REVIEW: Big Bad Beck and the Three Little Pigs
12.05.2023 at Q Theatre, Vault
This review is part of the 2023 Comedy Festival Lineup!
Fairytales, furries and $300 fish vet bills.
In this wondrous comedy set, Big Bad Beck and the Three Little Pigs, Becky Umbers tells tales that will deeply resonate with those stepping their feet into the uncomfortable glass slippers of adulthood.
Inspired by the bedtime stories of her childhood, ‘Big Bad Beck’ walks us through the excitements and unfortunate events that have occurred in her life as of late, categorising the main three troubles of her life as ‘pigs’. When revealed, pink lights shine down and an appropriate pig snort sound effect follows for extra pizazz - whether it’s the hilarious reveal that she spent $300 on a vet bill for the (cannibalistic) death of her fish, or questioning furries and God’s intention with the world. In this refreshing and relatable set, you feel it all, as if you’re on an emotional rollercoaster. And I’m here for the ride!
Known for her appearances in 7 Days and The Project, I wasn’t surprised to find the one-hour session a fun experience and felt the overwhelming positivity in the room. This may have been due to many of Umbers’ loved ones showing up to support on the night, which, to me, only made the experience more unique and personal. Umbers had us in stitches with her side-splitting stories about moving in with her boyfriend. The best part of the bit was that her boyfriend was actually right in the front row, and I could see him reacting to every word she said! It was pure comedy gold. Everyone, including her partner, were left laughing together. An especially unique part of this set was the personal nature of Umbers’ jokes, as it built a connection with the audience almost immediately. I felt that I was in a safe space, listening to the hilarious stories of someone I had known for years.
Despite all the wild segues and pig noises, the main message I got from this performance was a reminder to own our differences and be kinder to ourselves!
Overall, I highly enjoyed Big Bad Beck and the Three Little Pigs, and I would recommend it to those going in a group, as I did, or individually, as by the end of the show the entire audience felt like friends. Wellingtonians look out! Becky will be coming your way soon, performing at the BATS theatre from the 23rd-27th of May. Go huff and puff your way to comedyfestival.co.nz and grab a ticket for an hour of laughs and tears (the good ones…unless it’s about the brutal fish death).
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Check out more about Big Bad Beck and the Three Little Pigs here!