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Glitter Room

Katherine Ryan

Netflix · 2019 · 65 min

A Canadian comic explains why men are best enjoyed on holiday.

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Katherine Ryan has very little interest in living with a man, and she is more than happy to explain why. She compares men to dolphins: highly intelligent creatures that are best enjoyed on vacation, but absolutely not something you want eating up resources in your house. Her focus is a loud rejection of the idea that a single woman, especially a single mother, is someone in need of saving. Instead, she presents sole parenting not as a struggle to be endured, but as a luxury of absolute autonomy.

Filmed at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles, this was Ryan’s second Netflix special, released in 2019 when she was already a dominant figure on British television panels. The hour takes its title from her home renovations, specifically her daughter’s bedroom, which she had covered in actual glitter despite a contractor warning her that “no man will want to live here,” which was precisely the goal. It is a thesis that carries through her routines, whether she is mocking the concept of a Khloé Kardashian-style revenge body, dismantling the patriarchal themes of the musical Hamilton, or admitting to her own past failures of feminism during a misguided trip to Japan.

Critics noted that while the transition to a televised special slightly softened the warmth of her live theatre run, Ryan’s refusal to play into expected anxieties about single motherhood made for a refreshing hour. Her persona remains imperious and unapologetic throughout.

The set list

7 bits

  1. Renovating daughter Violet's bedroom into a sparkling glitter room

    Recounts her builder warning that no man would want to live in such a feminine home, highlighting her pride in autonomy and intentionally not living by patriarchal rules.

  2. Flying to Japan for a boyfriend

    Admits to her own flawed feminism by recounting falling for what was essentially a demanding booty call, laughing at her past foolishness.

  3. Sarnia, Ontario and astronaut Chris Hadfield

    Bluntly dismisses her hometown as awful and mocks Hadfield for being its sole acclaimed celebrity instead of an acquaintance who overdosed on fentanyl multiple times.

  4. The concept of the 'revenge body'

    Frames the trend as preposterous toxic femininity that subjects women to intense physical pressure.

  5. Smug middle-class neighbour Jane at the school gates

    Forensically dissects the servile domesticity and unadventurous nature of the local yummy mummies.

  6. One-woman protest at the musical Hamilton

    Mocks the historical founding father's abuse of masculine power during the show.

  7. Stalking Anna Kendrick

    Shares an extended narrative routine about accidentally and purposefully stalking the Hollywood actress.

How it plays

Tone
Witty, irreverent, tart, thought-provoking, and empowering.
On stage
An independent, unapologetic woman with swagger, charisma, and a sharp, imperious delivery that balances caustic punchlines with charm.
Pace
Barrels out full pelt at a rapid rate with short, stinging jokes before decelerating for longer narrative routines.
About
Single motherhood and parenting, Toxic masculinity and patriarchy, Toxic femininity and appearance pressures, Revenge bodies, Relationships and dating men, Middle-class culture and yummy mummies

What the critics said

Praised as contemporary, relevant comedy with a purpose and a strong barrage of punchlines, showcasing Ryan's charm and precision-focused wit, though reviewers noted her live stage warmth translated slightly more abrasively to the screen.

In the room: Taped in Los Angeles where the audience was largely unfamiliar with her British television career, featuring active audience interaction.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: en.wikipedia.org, chortle.co.uk, flavourmag.co.uk, theguardian.com, theglobeandmail.com, forbes.com.

Backstory

Drawing on her life as an independent single mother raising her daughter in London, having purchased a home through her own work while navigating societal stigmas and modern relationship norms.

Details

Released
Taped
2018, The Belasco Theater, Los Angeles
Runtime
65 min
Where
Netflix
Director
Linda Mendoza
Topics
Before
In Trouble (2017)

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