Strewth! Antipodean women deliver summer of laughter to Britain
Comics from Australia and New Zealand will take centre stage, from Netflix to the Edinburgh fringe
Vanessa Thorpe Observer arts and media correspondent, UK GUARDIAN
Australian comedians have traditionally provided British audiences with a slice of unabashed, earthy humour, dating back to the early heyday of Dame Edna Everage, 40 years ago. Now a fresh generation of comedians from Australia and New Zealand are lining up to provide a similar service. And this time they are real women.
This summer an influx of antipodean standup comedians, variety acts and sitcom stars are reshaping the way we view the two countries.
From cleverly confrontational comics, like the award-winning Australian Hannah Gadsby, to television shows such as Netflix’s The Letdown, which gleefully explodes the myths of motherhood, and BBC Three’s dating saga 600 Bottles of Wine, the bold and complex voice of the 21st-century antipodean female is being heard loud and clear on this side of the world.