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Brick Wall Comedy
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Fine, Thanks

Celeste Barber

Netflix · 2023 · 60 min

Silly faces and high-energy domestic gripes from an Instagram favorite.

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Celeste Barber uses her physical presence to turn standard domestic gripes into theatrical performance. While her fame originally exploded through Instagram parody posts, her stand-up relies heavily on the facial contortions and clowning she developed during her acting training. She spends a good portion of the set putting on voices, pulling faces, and acting out how “hot girls” dance, proving that her appeal is as much about performance as it is about written punchlines.\n\nFilmed at the Sydney Opera House, the 2023 special captured Barber at a high point in her career, fresh off an international tour and her leading role in the Netflix series Wellmania. The material touches on her irritation with her husband, her ADHD diagnosis, the disappointment of being invited to Coachella the year it was cancelled, and the bizarre nature of celebrity sex toys. While some of the post-lockdown marriage material feels a bit familiar, her physical commitment and expressive face keep the crowd engaged.

The set list

5 bits

  1. Marriage during the pandemic

    Examines how distance had previously helped her 19-year marriage until her husband was in her bubble every moment of the day, including his frustrating ease at chatting with Uber drivers.

  2. Celebrity-branded sex toys

    Recounts receiving eight vibrators in two months via endorsement packages despite not being very sexual, comparing Lily Allen's and Gwyneth Paltrow's products and acting out the experience onstage.

  3. Filming love scenes on 'Wellmania'

    Describes and reenacts shooting her first sex scenes, noting that even with an intimacy coordinator on set, pretending to have sex doesn't necessarily look sexy.

  4. ADHD diagnosis and neurodivergence excuses

    Recalls being diagnosed as a teenager eating 'Ritalin sandwiches' and criticizes modern culture where people use neurodivergence terms willy-nilly to justify bad behavior.

  5. Social anxiety at social gatherings

    Contrasts her Instagram persona with real-life awkwardness, admitting she is only 'great for five minutes' at dinner parties.

How it plays

Tone
Irreverent, witty, candid, playful, and personal.
On stage
Silly, relatable, self-deprecating, and a 'show-and-tell' comedian who mocks herself while poking fun at celebrities.
Pace
Vibrant, using the entire stage with exaggerated body language, expressive hand gestures, and voice modulations to portray characters.
About
marriage and parenting during the pandemic, social anxiety, celebrity-branded sex toys, filming sex scenes for Wellmania, mental health, ADHD, and neurodivergence excuses, social media culture and entrepreneurship

What the critics said

Received positive reviews from outlets like Ready Steady Cut for its vibrant stage presence, relatable delivery, and structured callbacks, while Decider praised her sincere silliness; some user reviewers criticized it as repetitive pandemic/mom material with a plug for 'Wellmania'.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: classification.gov.au, justwatch.com, tvcentral.com.au, decider.com, readysteadycut.com, letterboxd.com, en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, abc.net.au.

Backstory

Filmed following a sold-out world tour as a special encore performance at the Sydney Opera House; explores experiences during the pandemic, social media culture, and filming her first sex scene for 'Wellmania'.

Details

Released
Taped
Sydney Opera House
Runtime
60 min
Where
Netflix
Director
Catherine Vanderwolf
Honors
Nominated for Best Stand-Up Special at the 2024 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards
Topics
Before
Challenge Accepted (2019)

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