If at first you succeed, perform and perform again! If you’re looking for a show that’s witty, bright, and fun, Fringe Festivals’ lady-in-red Louisa Fitzhardinge’s iconic cabaret Comma Sutra has returned to Perth for the 7th time to re-iterate the classic idiom: “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Standing the test of time, Comma Sutra is, in a nutshell, a love letter to language and learning, presented in the same vein of curiosity as Play School… but for adults. Louisa shows off just how well-researched, intelligent, and talented she truly is, showcasing her linguistic skills and improvisation abilities, all while maintaining a fresh and sunny energy throughout the performance.

The playful banter between Louisa and her pianist Greg (‘Grerg’) Lavell was a joy to witness, and their collaboration added to the theatrical whimsy of the show. The performance remained engaging throughout, with tales of relatable grammar nuisances, educational translations, and a beautiful soundtrack of originals and modified covers.

Light audience participation occurred in order to progress the show, such as on-the-spot rhyming of participants’ names, a call-and-response animal game, and a segment where audience members held up flags to switch languages while Louisa sang her final number.

It should be noted that although this performance definitely allows plenty of room for giggles about grammar, the soundtrack had significant emotional depth. It told a succinct story of Louisa’s connection to words and music, and her advocacy for being a proud bookworm and overachiever.

The fact that this friendly and feel-good performance was created over 10 years ago is a testament to Louisa’s genius. It highlights how relatable the feeling of being ostracized for being yourself truly is—and how common the scourges of poor spelling are.

The amazing Louisa Fitzhardinge has thoroughly cemented herself in the Fringe Festival as a musical comedian, self-acclaimed nerd, and an absolute must-see favourite!