A theatrical romp through a Melbourne comic’s Cancer adventure.
“Let me start by telling you I'm OK. I’m just in a small situation involving a pesky Cancer tumour in my left nork, but I’m not dying and I am the luckiest person in the entire world”.
In an unmissably vibrant mix of storytelling, rounded character work, stand-up, silly dances, ridiculous puppetry, and animated projections of her real imaging, Lana has made a show that is touching, celebratory, real, raw and hilarious, skilfully making mutated cells the butt of the joke. 'Cos Cancer seriously deserves to be laughed out of town. In other words, this is not the "cancer show" you think it is.
5 time Award Winner: Best in Fest (Calgary), Best Theatre (Dunedin), Most Outstanding Solo Show (Ottawa), Best Female Show (Winnipeg), Highly Commended Theatre Award (Adelaide) 2 time Award Nominee: Best Show (Dunedin), 720ABC Best Theatre Award (Perth)
“Hilariously honest hour” –Anne Marie Peard “Uproariously funny, devastating, heartfelt” – The Residents, NZ “Gutsy and Gleeful” – Theatreview, NZ
- Venue Format
- Theatre, Hall, Black Box Venue
- Technical Rating
- Touring Party
- 3
- Considerations
Some nudity in context and moderate language use.
Audience will want to stay behind to chat for a while after the show.
Lana is an acclaimed theatre practitioner of over 20 years, winning awards for her unique brand of quirky ideas, touring her own creations internationally and working for companies such as Erth, Milke and Black Hole amongst many others. Her solo shows (Grandpa Sol and Grandma Rosie, Small Talk, Lovely Lady Lump) have all achieved award winning and critical success, her films (Sir Dancealot, The Upper Hand) have received official selection in festivals worldwide, her original puppet peep boxes (The Curator, Titillating Tassels) are favourites in the site specific performance world, and she is widely known amongst peers for her comedic take on serious topics, hitting the stand up stages for the occasional tangential rant, and collaborating with other artists on various projects
- Company Website
- lanaschwarcz.com
Unique Selling Point
It makes Cancer the butt of the joke without ever being offensive or uncomfortable, and successfully destigmatises a taboo subject. Audiences walk out feeling joyous and yet also armed with tools to dissemble their own experiences (as evidenced by the hours people stay behind to share their own stories, and the emails received 3 months after). 1 in 3 people get cancer, so there is a large potential audience who relate to the themes. And not only does the show jeer, snigger and laugh at that massive bully, but it never shies away from the seriousness of the subject matter and the narrative.
Marketing Materials
Media Releases (with information about Breast Density - a great spin on the subject to sell the show) All poster/postcard artwork templates Marketing Copy Promo footage (will happily add specific venue footers for presenters) Show Banner to display on the day of the performance. Proven List of niche groups to send target marketing to. Producer is happy to provide any other marketing assistance/materials if requested in a timely manner.
Community Engagement
Lana spends the hour post-show chatting to audiences who are inspired to share their own stories, and if requested has a workshop for survivors to help them shape their stories for recording.
To see how survivors/family respond, see email received (truncated):
"Of the three of us, one's mother died of breast cancer when he was young, my grandmother died of BC and my mother now has her own battle. My aunt died of cancer three years ago and so many friends and family have been killed or affected by it.
I wanted to express how much the show moved me, it is inventive and funny, sad and joyous and brilliant. But above all it made me and my friends reflect on the people we've lost, the people who have suffered and those who have survived - all of them fought, but cancer doesn't care if you fight.
The positive, happy, vulnerable and human thing that is your show is wonderful and life is brilliant no matter what happens in it. You are a beautiful, funny person and I thank you for your show. The best 'fuck you' you can deliver to cancer is to keep doing what you do."
Comments/Reviews
Brian Carrol - Apt 613
Media Review
That Schwarcz can leaven gruesome details with humour is a blessing. I’d quote examples, but her best bits had me laughing so hard my notes are illegible. Don’t get the impression this is a simple yuk fest.….more revelations build an intense drama that intersperses the humour…. two warm tears slid down my cheeks when I stopped laughing to applaud.
Kerry Teakle, TV Bomb
Media Review
There’s no holds barred with this vivacious Australian whose personality is infectious. There’s a lot of getting things off her chest and chest-baring, done with great wit and observation. A comedy show about cancer hardly sounds like a bundle of laughs but that’s exactly what this is – cleverly told, peppered with great jokes that will have you laughing out loud…
Nick Tipa, Theatreview
Media Review
...a tour de force that absolutely everyone not afraid of boobs needs to go see. It is hard to explain just what Lana has achieved with this show, but she has taken this taboo subject and made it comedy; cathartic, real, honest comedy, which is simultaneously delightful and heartwrenching....