Dawn French at Perth’s Riverside Theatre 2024

Attending ‘Dawn French is a Huge Twat‘ at Perth’s Riverside Theatre (PCEC) was a must-see event for any comedy fan worth their weight in punchlines. It was like stepping into a Time Machine with her as we travelled through the years, reliving the moments that have shaped her into the national treasure we all know and love.

Throughout the show, French regaled us with tales ranging from her early acting misadventures to more recent escapades, each punctuated by her signature wit and charm. The tour’s title boldly proclaimed its theme, and Dawn French fully embraced it, never hesitating to acknowledge her inner twat with a hearty “What a twat!” This candid acknowledgment of her quirks elicited a good chuckle and reaffirmed her enduring brilliance. French demonstrated her timeless ability to connect with her audience with each declaration; although predictable, it became a catchphrase, and you couldn’t help but want to say it, too! 

French narrated the awkwardness of filming intimate scenes with co-star Phil Daniels and offered a hilariously candid take on staged intimacy in the entertainment world. With her impeccable comedic timing, she shared how, after just one day on set, she confessed to falling head over heels for Daniels, ready to trade in her husband at the time (Lenny Henry) then and there—a declaration that had the audience cackling and perhaps questioning the boundaries of method acting!

Then there’s one of French’s many ill-fated attempts at accents, including an American accent for Kenneth Branagh’s ‘Death on the Nile.‘ With all the confidence of a Texan cowboy lost in the heart of New York City, French’s rendition of the American twang left much to be desired. So much so that she was swiftly asked to abandon the accent altogether and stick to her native English roots; meanwhile, her comedic counterpart, the illustrious “Fatty” (Jennifer Saunders), was readily embraced for her linguistic endeavours, leaving French with a twinge of humorous indignation. 

This was followed by French detailing her cameo in the magical world of Harry Potter, where she describes how an animal trainer sternly warned her of the potential amorous intentions of a ferocious hippo on set. This warning had her trembling in her boots with equal parts trepidation and amusement. However, to her surprise (and perhaps disappointment), the feared hippo turned out to be a tiny pygmy hippo with no interest in mating whatsoever—a rather memorable rejection.

Dawn uprooted the audience as she wrapped up the night with an unexpected twist: a playful yet poignant rendition of ‘As Long As He Needs Me‘ from Oliver Twist. The theatre erupted with rapturous applause as French, in her iconic style, infused the classic tune with a satirical flair. Beneath the humour was a glimmer of sincerity – French’s lifelong dream of starring in a musical was still unfulfilled. Although delivered with a wink and a nudge, the moment struck a chord, leaving the audience enveloped in warmth and joy as the curtains fell.

Now, let’s pause for a moment of reflection amid the giggles. As Dawn French so brilliantly reminds us, we’re all human—we all make mistakes, have our limits, and occasionally find ourselves in situations stranger than fiction. But fear not, for in celebrating our unabashed twattery, we find solace in our shared humanity! Whether it’s Dawn accepting a role she wasn’t offered, rotting in a monkey costume, or completely misunderstanding her doctor, we’re reminded that even the biggest stars are not immune to the occasional blunder. And oh, how the relatability resonates! So let’s raise our glasses to the glorious messiness of being human, to the twats in all of us, and the belly laughs that bind us! Cheers to twat- that, indeed!