Belinda is outgoing and immediately likeable – sort of like a cool goth aunt who you want to smoke a joint with. While many comedians just string together an hour of “greatest hits” jokes for their solo shows, Belinda stresses that this show has a purpose. She explains that the heart, mind, and c*nt represent three inner sources of comedy. The c*nt jokes about bodies, sex and toilet humour; soon, we evolve to speaking from the mind by observing the world around us. The heart is the deepest source: where we joke about the deepest, darkest and most vulnerable parts of ourselves. This show is Belinda’s vessel for her heart comedy.
Belinda eases us in with some of her regular material, which features her signature sardonic commentary on everyday situations. What is so wonderful about her comedy is how she conjures up all the parts of ourselves that we tend to resent – bitchiness, snarkiness, laziness, anger, irritation – and makes us love them. Belinda is a woman who does what she wants and we are immediately on her side. We’re not at the heart yet, but she’s reeled us in with her c*nt and mind and we’re totally here for it.
When she does get to the “dark” stuff, Belinda gives us express permission to laugh. The trust that she has fostered with us makes us feel safe to do so. The show’s heart is predominantly about family: her brother’s suicide and a traumatic upbringing with an abusive mother. Belinda doesn’t just tell us these things, but rather, immerses us in her past with stories, impersonations and physicality. Belinda approaches the tough topics head-on, with solid, thoughtful writing that has us laughing even in the funeral home. What is truly striking is how she tells us about her brother, to whom the show is dedicated. Belinda makes a deliberate effort to tell us who he was, not just what happened to him. This is where the show’s tenderness is truly felt.
Belinda’s heart also reflects on herself as a young woman, and the experiences that made her who she is. We feel like we’re there with her during these formative memories – spicy conversations as a phone sex operator giving toilet-licking instructions, or trying to order an impossible sandwich from Italy’s most condescending delicatessen. Through all the exhilaration, awkwardness, pain, and loss, that endearing, irreverent commentary from Belinda shines through and shows us that yes, it’s okay to laugh, even at this.
The Heart Mind C*nt Connection is a delightful, unique show that hits you much harder than a regular comedy hour. It’s packed with great writing, but it’s also tender and genuine. Belinda’s story leaves an indelible impression on the audience that is not easily forgotten.
