Lift up your skirt: Kathy Najimy

Lift up your skirt: Kathy Najimy
Adelaie Cabaret Festival. 19th June 2014

Kathy Najimy is fun, loveable, endearing and bold. Some may remember her from 90s films Hocus Pocus and Sister Act, but she is also a Lebanese woman who grew up in San Diego who gladly shares her struggles and memorable parts of her life with humour and a spirit that is compelling.

The show begins with a video playback of her perceived career highlights from her films, to her cable comedy program and many testimonials from famous friends about what an open and honest woman she is. You will get no argument here! From the moment she bounds on stage she has you in the palm of her hand. She begins by telling the audience everything the show will not be; ‘I will not sing or tell you about my story of suffering too triumph’. Well…she does try to sing, but it is all in the name of comedy. Her song ‘skinny diabetes’ is a blast.

For the first half of the show she takes you through her infatuation with ‘Bette Midler’; an admiration that began in childhood that borders on obsessive but is hilarious in its retelling. With an almost manic manner, the excitement with which she speaks is infectious; even when she slows she has you empathising with her views on same sex marriage, body image and feminism.

What you are privy to is a woman that has learnt to love and accept herself and everything that makes her a woman. She retells a delightful story about being at Los Angeles airport when she is approached by a mother and her young daughter. The mother professes that her daughter wants to grow up to be just like her…this unleashes a monologue from Kathy about finding what it is to be yourself and not to be influenced by modern ideals. It was sincere and sweet, as was the show itself.

Kerry Cooper

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