Is there anything in life you regret? Bec Hill wants to hear about it. The Aussie comedian’s latest show is inspired by regrets from both her own life and the lives of friends and strangers who responded to her social media call-out. It’s a show that’s relatable and comforting but, aside from one bold-faced bit of deception, doesn’t hold many surprises.
It’s no surprise, for example, that many people have drunken regrets, or dating regrets, or regrets involving bodily functions. (That last one might be more accurately filed under ‘embarrassments’, but Hill keeps her definitions loose enough for it to work.) It’s also unsurprising that people regret not spending enough time with departed loved ones, a section of the show that allows Hill to offer her own take on the ‘dead relative themed hour’ that’s so popular with Fringe comedians and comedy award judging panels – or are we putting the cart before the horse there?
That final act flirts with mawkishness, but Hill’s a charismatic enough presence to carry it off. Her buoyant, infectious glee also keeps afloat some of the weaker routines, such as a needlessly extended bit on how crap she is at accents. There’s good, candid material on her own dating disasters, and the now traditional (but still flawlessly executed) flip-chart illustrations. It’s not the best show at the Fringe, but you still won’t regret seeing it.