Ladies And Gentlemen: Review

29th August 2020

By Rowan Malyon.

This unique little film says a lot with very few words. A finalist in the Best Editing category at the 2020 Oregon Short Film Festival, Ladies And Gentlemen is an endearing film about finding your people and not changing yourself to fit in.

This short follows Nan, an amateur comedian determined to succeed despite getting knocked back again and again. She deals with some of the worst obstacles anyone putting themselves out there can face: an apathetic audience, friends that don’t understand her humour, and her own self-doubt. Nan must decide whether to give the people what they want and stick to the status quo, or stay true to her own unique sense of humour, hoping someone will eventually understand.

Directed by Gabriel Oliva and written by Torrey Richardson, Ladies And Gentlemen is visually stunning, and a treat to watch. The jumps between the real world and Nan’s happy place where she can be herself are seamless, and highlight just how much can be going on behind a person’s eyes when outwardly, they appear awkward and out of place.

Richardson also stars in the movie and turns Nan into an incredibly sympathetic and delightfully unusual character. She won the Best Actress award at the Austin Comedy Film Festival in 2019, and anyone can see why. From her delivery to her body language, Richardson oozes comedy. In fact, all the actors in this film, from the unfortunate audience members, to Nan’s supportive, yet weary friends make the film a joy to watch.

Packing a ton of visuals into a short space, Ladies And Gentlemen encapsulates the ever-relatable fears we all face when dealing with major career crises, and the terrifying prospect of just being ourselves. The sharp, quirky humour of this award-winning short may leave you blinking in surprise before you start to laugh, but you will be won over by its earnest message about staying true to your own voice.

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