She’s young, blonde and attractive, yet has never worked as a model.
She’s Anna Log, and she likes to tell people she is well aware she’s both hot and wise. No, she isn’t ‘up herself’ — it’s not her fault she’s beautiful. Her Melbourne International Comedy Festival show is called Apocalips, in which she looks at basic human survival skills and the type of potential that lies inside each of us.
Log spent the majority of the show behind a guitar, telling jokes and stories through song. She sang enthusiastically about her dad’s ‘tech-arded’ computer skills, drugs, and the ‘orange skanks’ at Flemington Races, and as most of the crowd were under 25, we all laughed along with her. I’m not sure her show could be performed for an older crowd, as she used quirky ‘young’ slang and made loose jokes about drugs and abortion, but it definitely appealed to the crowd she had mustered up.
Her guitar was her safety blanket. Log was incredibly comfortable when strumming a witty tune, but whenever she put it down she appeared to lose her place. There were a few awkward silences and it seemed as though she forgot what she was talking about. It didn’t help that there was an awful static noise coming from the speakers whenever Log stopped playing the guitar, which made it extremely difficult to listen without getting distracted.
I particularly enjoyed Log’s song about Australian football players and their love of women, partying, and bourbon and coke. It was funny because it was relevant, and she played the part of a young, dumb football player surprisingly well. Log’s expressions and impressions were entertaining, and she pointed out some humorous aspects in everyday situations that we have all experienced at some point, including job advertisement clichés, and choices we make about what to do with our loose change (and how we always make the wrong decision).
I think with a little more self-discipline, and perhaps an appearance or two on Spicks and Specks, Anna Log could gain a much bigger following. She just needs to step out of her comfort zone and take herself more seriously. Some of her better jokes were brought down by her laughter at what she had just said, and if she had kept it together, it would have definitely improved her stage presence.
Anna Log’s Apocalips continues until 23 April at the European Bier Café. Visit the festival’s website to purchase tickets or to find out more information.
Sofia Monkiewicz is a Journalism Honours student at La Trobe University and is a member of the upstart editorial team. She loves theatre and music, and is currently working on a thesis about the role of arts journalism in Melbourne.
