Emily Tresidder – Just Doing It

Emily Tresidder is not your average comedian. The Melbourne-based stand-up has a natural gift for disarming the most disinterested of patrons, and fills the room with her dynamic affability. And while this signature charm may not make up for a directionless show, it goes a hell of a way in making up the lost ground.

Just Doing It divulges the comedian’s natural desire to endure and persist, even when things aren’t totally going her way. This is evident in the show itself, as Tresidder valiantly ploughs on with a wink and a smile when her incredibly informal tone doesn’t quite sync up with her material. Tales of an absent father and time in therapy are not met with the time and depth that they deserve, as the comic barely scratches the surface of these moments in her life. There’s a chance for some real reflection here, but Tresidder instead chooses to lightly quip on the subject matter, never really revealing what lies beneath her contagiously sunny disposition. Perhaps they’re still uncomfortable topics for the performer – hopefully the audience will get to see more vulnerability from the stand-up in the near future.

While Tresidder’s conversational approach to the craft may not be to everyone’s taste, the comic shines in pockets of effortless charm and a jovial demeanour on par with the most seasoned of performers. She casually owns the stage with a natural confidence like no other, holding the room in the palm of her hand even when the jokes don’t quite land. More often than not, the show lacks the tillered perseverance of Tresidder herself, but the stand-up holds her own throughout, never dipping in energy from the outset. A testament to just how far a good attitude can take you.