Nikki Britton - Once Bitten

The fabulously foul-mouthed Nikki Britton is apparently not so popular with the senior demographic, but as the comic steps out with Once Bitten, it’s clear that the rest of the world is a big fan.

The Sydney-based stand-up is in typical form tonight, hitting the stage with firecracker energy and a beaming smile from ear to ear. The proceeding comedy is nothing short of what fans will be expecting, as Britton takes her audience through stories of sexual mishaps and the poisonous power of women’s magazines and diet media. Then, without warning, the comic leads her crowd into the darkness of a very personal and heart-wrenching tale. In the third act, her audience is unexpectedly ripped from the comfort of Britton’s trademark vulgar hilarity to a serious and traumatic tale of a teenage eating disorder. The crowd are suddenly hearing of the stand-up’s own struggles with body image and imposed notions of perfection, and just how toxic the aforementioned media can be.

While Britton’s story of empowerment and overcoming personal demons is truly inspiring, it comes at an abrasive turn in the proceedings. There’s no warning that a huge tonal shift is about to occur, and while this may be an intentional decision, it diminishes the power of both sides of Britton’s performative style. It’s an unfortunately rushed job that takes spitfire observational comedy and harrowing personal trauma and tries to smash the two together to form a single entity. Undoubtedly, these elements work alone, but together the oil and water nature of the styles becomes very evident.

While Once Bitten is a disjointed performance overall, it is ultimately an incredible and beautiful tale that will unfortunately resonate with audiences far more than it should. Her own story screams to be heard more than the time it has on stage this time around, but it’s a wonderful indication of just how far Britton can spread her comedic net.