“Pleasantly surprised” is the perfect phrase to describe the reaction of many of those who watch Nanette, a stand-up comedy set performed by writer, comedian, and actor Hannah Gadsby. The audience may press play expecting a full hour of comedy, and they do receive some of this. However, they may find themselves surprised when the show begins to move between what critics have called a lecture, a speech, and a stand-up comedy set. Nevertheless, the audience will not regret spending time with Gadsby as her material, regardless of genre, is genuine and entertaining.

Nanette is the title of the stand-up comedy set Australian comedian Hannah Gadsby first performed in 2017 and which has subsequently appeared at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, throughout Australia, and in the United States (U.S.). Dealing with a variety of topics such as mental illness and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) issues in a meaningful way, Nanette was awarded the Peabody award and the Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special at the annual Primetime Emmy Awards in 2019. A performance of Nanette at the Sydney Opera House was filmed and released by Netflix in June 2018; as a result, audiences all around the world can now access this critically acclaimed show from the comfort of their own homes.

The title Nanette comes from the name of an old woman about whom Gadsby originally planned to write the entire comedy set; however, the show turned out to have no relation to its title at all. Written by Gadsby, Nanette begins lightly like many stand-up sets with personal anecdotes. The stories organically connect to major topics in her life, such as her sexual orientation, art history degree, and mental illness. Additionally, Gadsby uses a unique tactic of explicitly deconstructing and explaining the logic of comedy to her audience in order to encourage more laughs and increase the persuasiveness of her material.

Introducing Overlooked Perspectives

Because Nanette is a verbal performance lacking the sensory elements that musicals or plays possess, the primary focus is on its topics. The running theme of the show is that there is always more to something than it seems; in other words, that there is always something to learn from a different perspective, especially when those perspectives are different from the ones that are considered conventional.

For instance, Gadsby tackles the discourse and representation around LGBTQ people in the media and among the public by discussing pride parades. Gadsby eases into the issue by reminiscing about what she used to wonder while watching her home country’s Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, full of loud music, dancing, and rainbow flags. At that time, Gadsby had already identified herself as a lesbian. Considering herself to be a shy and quiet person, she jokes that she thought, “Where are the quiet gays supposed to go?” This line questions the conventional, one-dimensional image of queer people, which is that they are all outgoing and rambunctious. In such a way, Gadsby pushes back the boundaries of people’s unconscious ideas about minorities, fostering more inclusivity and complexity.

Another relatively uncommon topic for comedy that stands out in Nanette is art history. In Nanette, Gadsby uses her university education to successfully make an unexpected connection between art history and the importance of diverse perspectives. Smart points, for example, are made about the color blue and its connotations. While discussing what historically was and is considered masculine and feminine, Gadsby offers up the contradictory meanings of blue perceived by humans. For example, feeling down is often expressed as “feeling blue” but at the same time, the phrase “blue skies ahead” indicates an enthusiastic outlook. These observations encourage the audience to humbly consider various ways one can choose to approach any given subject. As such, though some might call it didactic, Gadsby delivers an important message about life and attempts to persuade her audience of it through humor.

A Comedy That is Not Funny?

Nanette has been critically acclaimed and loved by a substantial chunk of its audience. However, some have disagreed with the idea that Nanette should be called a comedy because of its more serious elements. There is no denying that the show slowly gravitates toward a heavier tone, especially towards the end. It seems, however, that the transition is premeditated. Early on in the show, Gadsby declares that she is planning to “quit comedy.” Throughout Nanette, Gadsby slowly reveals the reasons behind this abrupt decision.

Comedy, according to Gadsby, is fundamentally a string of jokes that consist of two crucial parts: tension and something to relieve the tension. Unlike a story that has a beginning, a middle, and an end, jokes only have the former two. The comedian sincerely believes that, because she has used self-deprecative comedy as a defense mechanism, she has frozen traumatic experiences in her life into simplified, comedic versions.

In turn, this has suspended her in a “perpetual state of adolescence,” preventing her from learning and subsequently growing from the experience. This is why Gadsby proposes to quit comedy: in order to grow. However, this deep dive into the comedian’s vulnerable side may make some of the audience uncomfortable. According to Gadsby, that is her intention. By creating unwanted tension in the room and not providing comic relief, Gadsby ends on an important note about what many marginalized groups experience in reality.

Some deem Nanette too serious to be a comedy. While this may be a valid point, it leaves the audience wondering whether it is right to criticize a performance for not fitting into a conventional box, when a mere mistake may have been made in its categorization. The content of the show is strong and eye-opening, which should be considered more significant than its designated genre. Nanette’s message can somehow be applied to itself as well: Does fitting into a preexisting box really matter? How can we assess something based on its value, not by convention? Posing questions such as these, Nanette is a good watch for those wanting an evening of contemplation and self-reflection.

Performance Information

Title: Nanette

Venue: Currently available for viewing on Netflix

Running Time: 69 minutes