That Facebook Marketplace bed story. You know the one—the Melbourne Comedy Festival bit that ate the internet whole and chewed up 50 million views. Lou Wall’s now-legendary tale became the stuff of late-night scrolling legend. Or right now:
The Australian comedian’s viral moment raised a burning question haunting every viewer: Did any of this actually happen? Wall’s answer arrives Off-Broadway in Breaking the Fifth Wall, a 60-minute solo show that promises to settle the score. Or does it?
Lou Wall turns the comedy microscope on itself
Wall’s timing couldn’t arrive at a more crucial moment for comedians. The unfolding sagas of late-night shows, including the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and the off-again-on-again tribulations of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, are putting comics front and center and questioning the power they have over their audiences.
While we assume Wall steers clear of American politics, they’re not immune to a bit of controversy. How much embellishment does Wall bring to the stage? The show, directed by Zoë Coombs Marr, poses uncomfortable questions about where exaggeration meets ethical boundaries.
Edinburgh and Australian audiences have already wrestled with Wall’s meta-theatrical examination. (Want even darker meta? Check out Prince Faggot at Studio Seaview.) The production unpacks comedy’s relationship with truth, which we hope feels less like an interrogation and more like an invitation.
If a comic’s currency is defined by its authenticity, how much does Wall have in their pocket?
Lou Wall’s Breaking the Fifth Wall plays at Soho Playhouse through October 5.
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