Review: Judith Lucy vs Men

Judith Lucy has had enough. After endless heartbreak and relationship disasters she has recently found herself single at the age of 50. In front of a packed Vagabond theatre she holds the audience in the palm of her hand as she recalls how she got here. 

“Straight men aren’t buying what I’m selling” says Lucy. So should she just hang up her vagina for good? Despite the show title and premise, this is not a mere ‘men are from Mars, women are from Venus’ tale. While drawn from Lucy’s own experience in heterosexual relationships, there are references to intersectionality and an avoidance of stereotypes with the focus on universal themes of love and relationships. Lucy deliberately places herself in the line of fire and in doing so creates a welcoming place for her entire audience. 

Judith Lucy vs Men has Lucy at the top of her game. The show is sharply scripted, at times almost to a fault when the performance becomes a little stilted. But overall this is a strong performance and incredibly funny. By telling a warts-and-all personal story Lucy has created a show with her broad appeal.