On paper, blending stand-up and sexual assault seems risky. While I would personally argue the medium to be the perfect place to address the unspoken, the taboo, the current role of stand-up in most people’s lives is to entertain rather than challenge. In any case, if it does confront the audience, at what point does the comedian become a lecturer?
Charlotte Ashton’s script does not lecture the audience, nor does it follow the depressingly well-beaten track of using women’s trauma to shock and titillate. In fact, we don’t witness any of the assault itself. Instead, we see the resounding effect on Dolly’s life, and the truth that the assault wasn’t an aberration, but a product of a society that doesn’t challenge misogynistic violence and punishes victims far more than perpetrators.
Jessica Clark is phenomenal as Dolly, captivating the audience throughout as both a convincing stand-up and woman at and past the breaking point. Director Anthony Biggs, together with superb Sound Design from Roly Botha and Lighting Design by Skylar Turnbull Hurd, masterfully builds the tension to agonising heights before allowing us to release and laugh at perfect Wotsit-eating impressions and hashtag misunderstandings. The stand-up framework is able to seamlessly merge into one-woman play, emerging as a mask for Dolly to hide behind; the choices of microphone vs without vs voiceover are genuinely outstanding.
Ever-present plastic dolls, piles of naked plastic bodies under live stream or present in the police interview room, are a well-executed metaphor. The live-stream aspect in general is interesting and well-utilised, though having only one pre-recorded video played on the projection (via Dolly’s mobile) makes the lack of any more footage shown feel incomplete. In general, Asli Ozuak’s design is impactful and yet blends well into this “stand-up” performance.
Dolly is bitingly angry, gripping and relevant. Many will recognise themselves in it, and those who don’t should watch to understand how common the experiences are. This is a show that everyone should see, and well deserves many more performances.
Dolly is running at the Omnibus Theatre until 7th November 2026.
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