Confirmed Kills

Iliza Shlesinger stalks the stage in combat boots, relying on intense physical comedy, goblin-like voices, and sudden animal noises to frame her take on modern womanhood. Her signature “Party Goblin” character, representing the gremlin inside your brain that demands one more drink at 2 a.m., gets some of the loudest cheers, but the act is equally driven by high-energy rants. She spends a chunk of the set imagining history if women had always been physically stronger than men, painting a picture of a jacked-up 1910 housewife fueled by horse testosterone shoving her husband out of the way to go vote.

Filmed at the Vic Theatre in Chicago and directed by Bobcat Goldthwait, this 2016 release came at a point when Shlesinger was cementing her brand as an outspoken voice for millennial women. She focuses on the absurdity of the television show Shark Tank, the logistics of post-sex etiquette, and the unrealistic expectations of women’s fashion. The production also features a distinct, somewhat polarizing choice: on-screen hashtags like #CushionScar and #ChinaTownDrunk popping up in the corner of the screen, a blatant nod to social media sharing.

While some reviewers felt the material leaned occasionally preachy compared to her earlier specials, the performance showcased her distinct physical style. Her ability to morph from an alpha club-goer into a snorting creature remains her strongest asset.