Review: A Perfect Debut

There are a lot of late-night shows at Adelaide Fringe, but there will only be one like A Perfect Debut: Juliet Timmerman’s ode to Letterman, Colbert, Conan and more. 

After a blistering standup introduction, Timmerman walks us through her show, complete with a Top Ten list, cooking segment and dance performance. The humour remains absurdly dry throughout.

Timmerman is an incredibly gifted writer who pairs her talent with an engaging delivery which is charismatic and unapologetic. 

There are some dropped beats in transitions between jokes and sketches, and while the shoestring budget of the props is charming to an extent, they distract the audience when not in use. However, with experience and direction Timmerman has the performative ability to smooth these visual elements into a truly captivating show. 

A Perfect Debut is the announcement of an emerging comic on the rise. Timmerman is a brilliantly original writer who, when at her best, has exquisite comic timing and an absorbing presence on stage. It’s not quite a perfect debut, but one with a huge amount of promise.