The Aspie Hour

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival kicked off on Tuesday, 27 March and Milk Bar Mag journeyed somewhere over the rainbow to The Aspie Hour, a hilarious and irreverent cabaret show created by newcomers Sophie Smyth and Ryan Smedley. United in their passion obsession for Broadway musicals and living with Asperger’s Syndrome, the pair debunk popular misconceptions and explore what it is like to be an Aspie today. 

Unable to read social cues, inimical to human touch and generally awkward yet loveable, Smyth and Smedley held the stage with the charm and gusto of any obnoxious extrovert. The show is split into two acts where each of performer gets a chance to connect with the audience about their experiences. 

Smedley goes first, and opens up about his long-awaited dream to travel to New York City and immerse himself in musicals every day. Through an original song he articulates the lows (feeling depressed, alone and freezing) to the highs (finding love in a passionate holiday romance). His ode to the time spent with his lover in Central Park was especially touching.

Smyth’s performance encompassed the tropes and themes seen in musicals and left you wanting an encore. A self-described “bad bitch” for having a second ear lobe piercing and being a hack with a cross-stitch, Smyth – in her Dorothy costume – explores her psychological issues through touching and honest storytelling.

While Asperger’s Syndrome may not be a typical source of laughter, the fresh and comical duo manage to mix brilliant and intelligent humour with real stories and relatable experiences. And for us trapped in a techno-coloured world, The Aspie Hour will make life a little more bearable and a little more magical. 

The Aspie Hour  
The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Place, off Little Collins Street, Melbourne
Till Thursday, 5 April 2018
thebutterflyclub.com/show/the-aspie-hour