Review by Steve Bennett

What a romantic notion, to embark on the great Australian adventure, delving into the island continent’s dusty red heart to discover your true potential and emerge a better, stronger, more rounded person.

Thankfully, at least for comedy’s sake, things didn’t quite turn out that way for Zoe Coombs Marr, who’s only self-revelation during her quarter-life crisis is that she’s as big an idiot in the Outback as she is in the city.

She’s disarmingly self-effacing as she describes a miserable trip that makes her seem like Hunter S Thompson’s dorky distant relative, terrified of the situations she finds herself in and getting high – and very ill – on nothing stronger than beer.

Her unhappy journey winds up in the desert opal mining town of Coober Pedy, which certainly has a suitable otherworldy quality to it. The town’s 2,000 residents live underground to escape the intense heat, while there is nothing to see but a beetle sculpture made out of a VW Beetle, and nothing to do but drink yourself into oblivion… and the arms of a lusty local cop.

Coombs Marr is an engaging storyteller with a winning smile, who describes her misadventures with everyday charm. Her girlfriend told her she needed to be more likeable in her tales, but that shines through. Only those who have never done an idiotic thing in their lives will have trouble identifying with someone so out of their depth because of their own folly.

Gone Off is only the second festival show from Coombs Marr, and she occasionally show her nervous inexperience – primarily in a preamble in which she gets distracted easily, and to no great effect, and including an entirely gratuitous and out-of-character fisting joke, demonstrating a lack of confidence in her natural persona.

But she should have no doubts. Although this yarn is a little sluggish in places, the overall story is strong and she makes for the most affable guide to her own insecurities.

Review date: 12 Apr 2012
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett
Reviewed at: Melbourne International Comedy Festival