Gillian Cosgriff – Actually, Good

In the midst of so many comedy acts that are loud, weird, try-hard, in-your-face, bitter, incoherent, angst-ridden or self-deprecatingly confessional, Gillian Cosgriff offers a benign and determinately optimistic alternative.  In her apparently laid back, no frills, relaxed way, she is a consummate performer – and musician.  She shows us that in the midst of our very real anxieties, our painful disappointments and disillusionments, there are things that are, actually, good. 

We form an immediate relationship with Gillian.  She’s natural, attractive, totally unintimidating and very likeable.  She’s like a mate or your big sister.  She kicks off with a preamble where she makes us laugh as she chats about being in a very long run of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (‘I was a Child Wizard’) and going on holiday to the Whitsundays (during which it rained the whole time).  On this holiday, she played a game; she and her partner would list, in ascending order, one to ten, things that they liked.  The result was surprising, even if a little dismaying, but that is the format for this show. 

So she asks audiences to call out things that they like – one to ten.  She’s going to list them.  ‘Someone give me a ten…’  And someone, out there in the dark, volunteers, for instance, ‘The moment when I’ve been baby sitting and I give the kids back to their parents.’  And we get it.  Almost everyone understands that. 

Or it could be, ‘Give me a four,’ and someone calls out, ‘The smell of basil and tomatoes.’  Or it could be, ‘Buying a loaf of bread when it’s still hot.’  (The bakery is in a rather snooty suburb and the someone cops some mild teasing.)  Cosgriff writes the answers, one to ten, in a big book that is full of these ten things lists from her many previous shows.  She reads out some favourites…

Obviously, for every show, each list will be surprising, revealing and different.  It could also be very bland, not giving Cosgriff much to work with.  On my night, only one answer was truly emotional.  The rest were a bit, ‘Oh, yeah, I can relate to that…’  But she is so quick, so adaptable, so funny that the show never falls in a trough.

But as the list builds, one to ten (and, okay it’s random; it’s not mild frisson at number ten and ecstasy at number one), she interpolates her comments on the audience suggestions – questioning, adding, ironic. 

And she sings her own compositions, accompanied on her keyboard, songs about what she likes, one to ten.  Her things are rather more ambivalent, rather more never-say-die, staying happy in the face of stuff, but always witty, funny and punchy.  And a bonus: when she sings, you can understand every word.

Those little things that make us happy – even if it’s for a fleeting moment - if we notice them and appreciate them, can help us deal with the big things.  Cosgriff reinforces her point by telling us how she used to think she was a pessimist, but then she discovered an optimist inside that had been there all along.

In its smooth surface way, Actually, Good is a perfectly structured show, Cosgriff always in control.  And there’s an implicit wisdom under the jokes.  Suddenly, right at the end, she gives us some serious advice about life.  It’s good advice and I’d say everyone gets it – and her show has earned the right to say it.  It’s a show that can play anywhere and has done - and been very successful, even award winning. 

Michael Brindley