Do you know what’s always a great way to keep an audience engaged? Harass and insult them. Or at least that’s how proud South Aucklander, Sieni Leo’o Olo a.k.a Bubbahblacksheep The Ice Princess, likes to conduct her shows. She interacted a lot with the audience, staring directly into the windows of our souls (especially Mata) and it was a bit disconcerting at first, but it was also kind of funny, y’know?
I guess this is what we get for sitting in the front.
Awkward eye contact.
You chose brilliant seats, Mata. Thanks a buttload.
Okay, so maybe she didn’t harass us from the start (or at all, really. She only called us ugly once or twice, and that comment was made halfway through her act, anyway) but her nerves were evident in those first few minutes. As she continued earning laughs from the crowd, she seemed to settle into her zone with newfound confidence.
Once in her zone, Sieni gained many LOL’s with relatable family stories, mutual disdain for things like interviews and children (VERY MUTUAL, especially in the case of children), and horrifying fantasies.
INSIDE JOKE- those first few statements I made were the bread for the shit sandwich I’m about to make. Ha, kidding.
She delivered good jokes, executing them very well, but things aren’t always perfect, and even with Sieni being a Queen on a remote island, there were a few hit and misses with some of her material.
But not a lot.
The material that didn’t necessarily sit with me were jokes that felt very forced, and not completely thought out in my own personal opinion. She had a lot to say, but some of it felt so rushed and then in other cases they seemed to drag on for so long- but I’m not saying that it wasn’t funny, just maybe not as funny as other parts of her show.
Then again, it’s incredibly difficult to remain blank when faced with undeniably accurate reenactments of types people we all know (and wish we didn’t), hilarious skits and that self-deprecating humor I’ve always loved.
I’d also like to say that Sieni has got to have some of the big balls, particularly with her mother sitting in the crowd when she told us about her stand on relationships, sex and drugs. I don’t think I’d ever be able to say half the stuff Sieni said on stage to my mother’s face But this is mostly because I probably wouldn’t live to finish the first sentence.
Any islander that’s able to discuss sex to their mother’s face is either brave or stupid- but maybe Sieni just forgot her mother was in the audience? Ha skeeeee.
On a side note, I feel the need to mention that even though the recommended age is 13+, some of the jokes might be a bit much for a 13 year old, even if I know that 13 year olds are probably the grossest little shits out there.
Olo has great energy, a “vibrant” personality that connects well with the audience and has a refreshing approach with her very flattering facial expressions, on-point voice impersonations and characters. Her constant movement on stage was funny too, making us laugh with little actions.
I’m expecting a lot from Sieni, she’s a delight to watch and she’s honestly just super cute because you can tell that she’s genuinely happy to be up on that stage, making people laugh with her insane anecdotes. I strongly recommend checking her out, and keeping a keen eye out on her, because she’ll only get better. The few cases where she let her nerves get the best of her will only lessen, and she will be a force to be reckoned with.
This is totally unrelated to her show, but she said I have nice hair and I almost cried. No one ever compliments my hair.
I loved your hair too, Xzibit. *inserts heart eye emoji* *winky face emoji* *kissy emoji*
Mata’s thoughts throughout the show- edited for clarity and brevity:
- I actually looked around until I remembered my mum’s not in the country right now- then I realised that almost all Samoan mums sound the same when shouting someone’s name angrily.
- Sieni hates a lot of things, and she’s a lot more up upfront about it than a lot of us could ever be.
- A lot of her jokes hit the mark, a couple tend to overstay their welcome- but it’s okay because it’s funny.
- So I’m holding an imaginary scooter and I don’t know what to… okay I’m just going to set it down now.
- Go to her two remaining shows! Shit’s funny and every so often uncomfortable but what’s a little humour without the discomfort?
INCARCERATED OUTCAST
WHEN: Wed 4 to Sat 7 May
WHERE: Cellar at Q Theatre
GET TICKETS
TICKET PRICES:
| Full Price | $18.50 |
|---|---|
| Concession | $15.00 |
| Group 6+ | $12.00 |
*service fee may apply
