Mel McGlensey, appropriately, calls herself an “alternative comedian”; her shows are far from standup in both style and ideas. Despite what the Fringe blurb would suggest, the title of her newish offering Mel McGlensey is Normal is more of an aspirational goal than a statement of fact. The divergence could be due to this already-entertaining show, which recently had a run at Edinburgh Fringe, continuing to evolve.
Past efforts in character comedy, such as the highly entertaining Mel McGlensey is Motorboat highlighted how the performer’s particular mix of clowning and audience participation often led to weirdness. As a punishment for such pathological behaviour, McGlensey the comedian is held in some kind of (Matrix-like?) confinement.
The audience will witness a simulation, hosted by computer-generated character “Nor-Mel” (looking quite like McGlensey, but having a synthetic-sounding voice). Much of the show related to challenge rounds where Nor-Mel gave us a choice between three scene titles shown on a screen.
In each round, McGlensey would be released to present the most popular scene, aiming to be “normal”. A randomly chosen audience member would rate each scene’s normality, and these scores would contribute to the overall assessment. The stakes are high – our prisoner can only earn her freedom by reaching a satisfactory total.
Infrequently overseeing all of this is Mr Big Boss, who is updated by Nor-mel on McGlensey’s difficulties in curbing her more eccentric impulses. Fans of Motorboat might recall “Captain Daddy”, and wonder at what’s behind these male authority figures seeking to restrict McGlensey’s freedom?
Mr Big Boss is somewhat less developed than his nautical equivalent, as is the “normal” requirement, given only an aside. We could feel that there’s room for a little more refinement of the narrative here.
However, under the direction of Sharnema Nougar, this is a very snappy hour of delightfully oddball scenes. Examples from this night included impressions of “Skinny Bitches” being smug, and in a round called “Boobs” (often a feature of the comic’s physical style) an impression of a predator, with the audience as potential prey.
Whether being a farmyard animal or a Warner Brothers character, McGlensey fully committed to each role, often for a solid comedic payoff. Also, there are brief interludes where we can feel the weight of McGlensey’s struggle to be more normal, hinting at the potential for the work to further explore some contrasting dramatic moments. Audience interaction was often sought, although if that’s not your thing, McGlensey will quickly move on.
The design by Douglas Wilson assists our immersion in the simulation. In particular, the results of their computer programming, shown on the screen, combined with lighting changes, effectively signals phases of the exercise, as well as a shift from normal operations to a glitchy time.
Due to the audience choices of scenes, and different ways that the show can unfold due to our input, this could be a very different show from one night to the next. It’s probably only normies who would see it and feel the need to “have a normal one”. But for those who seek out a Fringe festival for a change from “normal” forms of entertainment, you’ll be able to satisfy your weirdo tastes here.
Mel McGlensey is Normal
Trades Hall – Archive Room, Corner Lygon and Victoria Streets, Carlton
Performance: Wednesday 8 October 2025
Season continues to 12 October 2025
Bookings: www.melbournefringe.com.au
For more information, visit: www.instagram.com for details.
Image: Mel McGlensey – photo by Nick Robertson (nickmickpics)
Review: Jason Whyte