When it comes to Aussie icons we can’t go past Crocodile Dundee or Dame Edna. But there’s only one Greek Aussie treasure, and that’s our beloved Effie – the alter ego of comedian Mary Coustas.
Effie’s popularity has soared over decades, I mean how can anybody resist an incredibly attractive and confident Greek goddess, let alone one who has a Logie to her name. It’s Effie’s first time at the Adelaide Fringe with her sold out show Love Me Tinder – and I was lucky to secure a front row seat.
The show kicked off with a Tinder app on a large screen (which featured some incredibly funny pics including Kim Jong-un) before her Uncle Vasili, (now a widower) dropped in for a visit. He’s the epitome of a typical Greek male – horny, sleezy, chauvinistic and happy to share his life’s stories including his Tinder experience, which served as a delightful crowd pleaser ahead of his niece’s anticipated appearance. He must have sensed my Greek pheromones as it didn’t take long for him to make a beeline towards me in the front row. Greeks just know when there’s another Greek nearby!
Effie hit the stage following one of the most brilliant overtures – ever! Narrating Cinderella’s fairytale on the big screen which was absolute gold! The Greek goddess gave Tina Turner a run for her money, she danced pranced and shook her way onto the stage in her red number and high heels (there’s more hair than body she’s absolutely tiny!) then launched into “I know what yous are thinking, she looks so much better in real life.”
We heard all the stories – from how she met her husband Shane Bradley Cooper (a plastic surgeon), losing her virginity (from ‘frigid’ to ‘feral’) to the ups and downs of married life. She fears the seven year itch is the seven month itch for her, and wonders if it’s wrong to “get her lawn manicured every now and again by a new hot gardener.”
She was tempted to sign up to Tinder (under another name) so she could just ‘take a look’. This was epic and a fantastic foundation for the show to build on. I seriously haven’t laughed so hard in years. In fact, I’m sure the laughter spilling out of the Spiegeltent echoed throughout the Garden of Unearthly Delights.
Just when I thought things couldn’t get any funnier, time for some crowd interaction which came quite natural to her. Definitely a highlight and insatiable! It takes a lot of skill to pull this off, especially how every show has a new audience and relies on quick wit ad-lib which she nailed (pardon the pun) to absolute perfection.
I mean, the show wouldn’t be complete without Effie getting up to some mischief – facetiming the fiance of a young lady in the audience, curious to learn the secret to long lasting marriages, and who met and lasted through Tinder. Her wit, comedic timing, and clever one liners gave my tear ducts that had gone into hibernation a newfound workout.
Effie’s Love Me Tinder is not your average stand up routine – it’s a show. Adding creative production and visuals is what made this a standout. It is up there among the the most entertaining stand up shows I’ve seen in years, I can see why it’s only natural that “chicks are jealous of her and men want her.”
Aphrodite may be the Goddess of Love, Beauty and Fertility, but our Effie runs a close second. Make sure you secure your tickets next year as her shows sell out quickly.
Effie in Love Me Tinder
Fortuna Spiegeltent – The Garden of Unearthly Delights, East Terrace, Adelaide
Performance: Saturday 29 February 2020
Season closed
Information: www.gardenofunearthlydelights.com.au
Image: Mary Coustas as Effie (supplied)
Review: Betty Samis – courtesy of All About Entertainment