Demi Lardner: Look What You Made Me Do

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The narrative conceit of Look What You Made Me Do amounts to Gavin, a 46-year-old man played by Demi Lardner, trapped in his basement and on the phone to an insurance telemarketer called Sandra. It becomes apparent that this is more of a contextual backdrop than a plot to follow, though, with the incidental gags and skits taking centre stage. Lardner doesn't invest much time into the character, and neither should you; it's an entertaining, throwaway romp built for speed, not comfort. 

As Gavin (a hat, two sets of clothes and a pre-pubescent telephone voice suffice for the illusion), Lardner skewers the sort of boorish, self-obsessed walking mid-life crisis you would expect to stay on the line to an insurance flogger. That's not all he has for company though, as we're treated to his inner monologue of inane, but understandably lonely, thoughts. The laughs arise from Lardner's clever and extensive use of lighting and audio cues, allowing us to flit between Gavin's nightmares, his diary entries, and his warped perspective of his temporary underground prison.

It's enjoyably offbeat, and Lardner's dedication to absurd transience results in a sprightly pace. Accordingly, though, the show runs a little short (just over 40 minutes), presumably owing to the restricted and confined scenario she creates for the character.

Comedically it often feels like treading water. We're content to float around in her weird world of puns, but it's never headed in any particular direction. The good news is that you don't need to dive below the surface to enjoy it.