Alice Tovey – Garbage Monster

Imagine Elaine Stritch and Judith Lucy coming together to form a millennial dynamo. Throw in some Megan Mullally for good measure, but even that doesn’t come close to measuring the incredible cabaret/stand-up prowess of Alice Tovey.

Tovey’s Garbage Monster sees the Melbourne performer tackle toxic male culture, “cancelling” celebrities, and personal identity, all in an hour of colourful costumes and phenomenal songs. Accompanied by long-time collaborator and incredible pianist Ned Dixon, the two spend the night throwing unsavoury famous folk in the bin, giving them the send-off they so truly deserve. It’s a safe space to finally let go of the problematic faves we often cling on to. It’s time to let those celebs burn in the dumpster fire of forgotten infamy, and Tovey stands tall with a flamethrower.

The true brilliance of Garbage Monster rests in Tovey’s sheer uniqueness as a performer. She owns the stage as a one-of-a-kind presence, yet her story resonates powerfully throughout the female-identifying members of the audience. In the age of Hannah Gadsby, there’s a noticeable upswing in comics having the confidence to say what they’ve wanted to for years, without fear of backlash. It’s a powerful and uplifting trend to watch roll out in real time, but to see Tovey doing it with her incredible cabaret flair is something really rather special.

With personal tales, savage satire and some truly incredible puppetry, Garbage Monster has so much going for it without ever going overboard. Tovey is at the forefront of a new age of comedy excellence.