Natalie Palamides: Nate - A One Man Show

At points I didn't know if I was enjoying it, but I couldn't stop watching. And then throughout the day, I couldn't really stop thinking about it either.

This is probably going to stick with me, even though it was completely bizarre and sometimes not all that funny.

Funny isn't even the right word. Sure, it's funny in parts, but it's just so odd and fascinating and provocative that whether it's funny or not is almost irrelevant.

I could understand people loving or hating this, and everywhere in between. Certainly not going to be for everyone. But if you like seeing people push standup beyond just "person talks and says funny thing on stage for 60-70 minutes," then give this one a shot.

Natalie plays a macho man on stage in a post-"Me Too" world. The character is ludicrous, disgusting, naive, sad and (at points) trying to do the right thing. Gutsy in look, the protagonist is topless throughout the whole show, sporting a wig, hair everywhere and a handle bar mustache. The large physical performance involves purposely awkward crowdwork that is fun at first, shocking in the middle (as the performance gets pretty raunchy) and pretty middling at the end. And that's how you might describe 'Nate' as a whole. A good concept designed to shock that just ultimately fizzles out as the viewer's asking themselves, 'Why?' Is it a meta-commentary on the ultra-serious one man show? Was that the point? Or was it really just about how men just don't get it? The message is intentionally vague but at least it was entertaining.

Okay, why two stars then ? Well 1 stars don't get counted and the makeup and acting was actually okay (to a point). But the show tried to only stand on vulgarness and the uncomfortable state of the audiens. This isn't really comedy in any sense of the word, I don't know why it was classed as that in the first place. It's more preforming with a laugh of awkwardness add too it.

I do like satire, dark humor and pythonesque humor, but it was really none to be found here, it was just escalating absurdities and sadness. I really hope Netflix din't use actual money on this because it really makes me rethink my payments too them, as this is something I helped bring into the world then. I would be a better person by using pirat sites instead if that was the case, as that at least meant I was not partaking in making more of this.

This is the "girls and two cups" of comedy, you see it to sare others too, just to see the horror build in them as it downs on them what they have gotten them self into.

I know many who would not manage this. It is literally in-your-face. It is raw, mad, provocative, ugly and very, hideously familiar. The audience is not let off. The few audience members who end up on stage are put through the ringer and it is bad. Very bad. Inappropriately bad. Unforgivably bad. And yet, the whole issue of consent is dealt with right at the beginning. Nobody knows what they have signed up for, Nate is a loose canon and anything that can happen does.

Funny thing is, at the end I cried. I cried properly. I cried for men and women and myself. I cried for Natalie Palmides and for Nate and for the whole audience. Because even when this stuff is laugh-out-loud funny, it tears you to pieces, and reminds you how deep the mess we are in really is.

Don't say I didn't warn you, but Nate is compulsory viewing.

I don't understand why this has such a low rating. I laughed so much my cheeks hurt many hours later. Natalie is fearless and funny but manages to keep a message about consent throughout the entire show. I cannot recommend this enough. That being said, it's not for everyone.