Five minutes with comedian Bron Lewis

Posted on 2 May, 2024

“I love this show with all my heart, and I am really proud of how it’s evolved.”

This is how comedian Bron Lewis describes her new show, Obviously, coming to The Street Theatre on Friday 24 May.

Pitching it as “the perfect show to bring your mum and/or mother’s group to”, Bron says she’s particularly proud to bring it to Canberra because she grew up here, which naturally earns her a special place in our hearts.

As she puts it “It’s where I went to high school, so I can show all the school bullies that I’m better than them now (just kidding, as if I had bullies).”

We caught up with Bron to get the lowdown on her new show, the number 315 ACTION bus and the rewards of tackling serious topics in a comedy show.

Tell us about your new show Obviously

“‘Obviously’ is about a lot of things we accept as normal but are usually bloody awkward. From becoming strangely defensive of my place of birth after negging it my whole life (hello Wagga!), to making friends as an adult (cringe), and clumsily losing my mind as a new mum in some socially humiliating moments.

The show is mostly very silly, with me acting out mortifying moments in my life, but it does have a poignant part where I draw upon my experience with post-natal depression and anxiety. I have three kids, and I lost my marbles differently each and every single time. Society tends to let us women ‘go mad’ because it is expected of us.

When we do lose our footing, society expects us to do so silently, so more often than not we do. I feel really passionately about this, so I had to include it. Don’t worry, it ends on a laugh, but I never shy away from getting a serious bit in the show. I’m drunk with power.”

What has been the reception so far?

“The reception so far has been better than I could have imagined. I have taken it to Perth Fringe, Adelaide Fringe and Melbourne International Comedy Festival, and for all three I was given a rooms double the size of my rooms last year, which was quite daunting. I managed to more than double my sales from last year, and this is partly because of word of mouth.

People came, loved it, told their friends and family, and often came back with their mother’s groups. Because I discuss my post-natal depression and anxiety, I have had countless women with tears in their eyes hug me after the show, and thank me for talking about something they too struggled with. After each show, I have opened my Instagram messages to find numerous messages from strangers who saw the show, and finally felt seen.

I was nervous about tackling this issue because I was worried I wouldn’t hit the mark I wanted to hit, but I am pleased to announce, I’ve hit it harder than I thought I possibly could.”

Tell us a core memory about growing up in Canberra

“A core memory of growing up in Canberra is catching ACTION buses to school. My older brother and I caught the same bus from Spence to the Belconnen interchange, and the benevolent bus driver became accustomed to us being late, so he would drive really slowly at the end of our street, and stop when he saw us flinging it down the driveway.

He didn’t have to do this for us, in fact I am certain it would have annoyed the general public on the bus who knew how to be on time for their trip, but he did it regardless. I will always remember the kindness of that driver, and I hope the 315 bus route still has a driver looking out of the late kids like he did.”

Obviously is also about pretending you have everything under control when you don’t – what’s your advice to those in similar situations?

“‘Obviously’ is about pretending we know what we’re doing as adults, because the longer we’re here, the less it all makes sense. I wish I was kinder to myself as a new mum, and I wish more women were talking about the hard stuff.

It’s wildly confronting to admit you’re lost when everyone else seems fine, so we just learn to grin and bear it, which sucks. We need to talk more, unless we’re in the public toilets at a Sydney bar, and in that case, Michelle, stop talking (this will make sense when you see the show).”

Photography: Chillary. Image supplied.