Once Bitten
Nikki Britton
11 April 2019
Melbourne Town Hall – Lunch Room
to 21 April
comedyfestival.com.au
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| Nikki Britton |
Nikki Britton was one of two 36-year-old woman I saw on the same day a Federal Court Judge declared that another 30-something woman was not credible because she knew that treating the space around her body as a joke wasn't ok.
Both shows were about how it's still a surprise to the world when women take up space and behave like themselves rather than being quiet little – as little as possible – pretty things who don't swear, eat or fuck.
Nikki is totally ok with taking up space and having an appetite for food, sex, affection, polka dot pant suits, and being on a stage and talking about how it's more than ok for women to enjoy their bodies – even if that means someone asking if you're pregnant. Having an appetite for life still results in awkward conversions. Hopefully only awkward for the person asking because women don't have to explain or justify their bodies to strangers.
To make everyone comfortable, she begins with a lot of old-school "she knows what I mean" observations and balances her opinion that women are ok by assuring the men in the room that they have lovely dicks. Cos that's what good girls go, isn't it – appease and praise.
Nikki's not good, she's great.
There was a time in her life when she was good. She did everything that was expected of a good girl. She knew the rules and was praised and congratulated for doing what it took to blend in and not take up space. It also nearly killed her.
Maybe one day women will take up all the space they want and need and no one will need to explain why that's more than ok.
