It’s seems implausible to hear quite filthy things out of the mouth of someone so pretty but that’s what you get when a middle class English white girl has gone through so much tragi-comedy in her life.

Diane Spencer is a force to be reckoned with: she comes out on stage in a girly outfit, she’s got a soft voice and then bam! Before you know what’s going on, genitalia, pleasuring devices and sexual acts have all been covered in the first few minutes.

Nothing is sacred, no subject is too taboo – the deaf, the blind, visual artists, foreigners, immigrants and more are covered in this blistering hour and a half act.

It seems because she’s experienced some of the things above she has a right to mock it. For example, she dated a blind guy for a while; she’s an immigrant; her dad’s half deaf and so on.

Also, as a female comedian, Spencer says she can get away with certain jokes and that’s true. Certainly no male comedian would venture towards menstruation or menopause without the possibility of alienating at least half his audience.

There is actually a storyline of sorts through the show as Spencer tells us why she moved here from her hometown in the south of England. It was for love and when that didn’t work out she offers us the ‘best bits’ from her dating experiences as a woman in her late-20s.

The opening night wasn’t a sell-out and while this offered a vibe of intimacy and a chance to develop rapport with the performer, it was easier to tell when a joke just did not float.

The best way to describe her show is ‘cringe-laughter’, where you’re sitting with your jaw kind of half-open, hand over your mouth thinking, ‘Did she just say that?’ followed by, ‘Oh my god that’s true/ funny/ gross!’

Don’t get me wrong – Spencer’s set made me laugh; I just wasn’t sure whether I was laughing at the humour or the shock value. Because the show is clearly all about the shock value. While other comedians test the water and then throw in a vulgar joke or two, this confident redhead dives right in.

If filthy words and situations make you squirm, best stay away; however if you like to be challenged by your comedy, if tried-and-true observational gags just don’t cut it for you, then Spencer is your hot ticket.
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Good old fashioned British comedy – full of wit, charm, and filth!

Tam Pompom, yes, the title put me off a little too … But once Dianne Spencer gets into the swing of things I remember why the British comedies of the eighties and early nineties are rated (by me) far above anything coming out of America at that time.

Spencer has charm like a light bulb, it brightens the stage – she’s a real joy to watch – both bold and subtle at once, which reveals real confidence.

She discusses why she came to NZ and why she stayed, she fills us in on the dates she’s been going on recently and other exploits as an actor and part time burlesque dancer.

Much of the show is about her relationship problems and about her relationship with her genitalia – please don’t be put off by this because she really is very funny. "She’s real kinda down to earth y’know?", I’m thinking, juxtaposed against this posh sounding English accent.

Perhaps the show should have be called Sex Ed with Dianne Spencer, because I hear probably the most useful piece of information there is to know about women (or about Dianne at least – but I’m hopeful that it transposes well to others of their kind) when she tells us about the six out of ten guy with the chilly at the friends wedding.

We all know that stand up comedians make up most of what they say about themselves to suit the story; this is fun and we suspend our disbelief imagining that its all true. The bit about the party popper, however, breaks the illusion for me. Not because it is going too far, but because it is just too implausible. It would be great if Dianne could come up with something else for this bit.

She mentions that this is her first solo performance. I look forward to seeing much more of her stand up comedy in the future. 
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