One of the nice things about the Edinburgh Fringe is that you’ll occasionally come across some amazing and fresh talent. Stand-up comedian Hannah Platt’s new show, Defence Mechanism, is novel, clever and heartfelt. Platt combines a deep sense of brutal honesty and self-reflection with a masterful understanding of what it means to be truly confident in oneself.
It’s also very funny, hitting that sweet spot between harsh and hilarious. Defence Mechanism is, on the one hand, a fun hour with a fast and charming Scouser, Hannah’s friendly patter darting between topics, gags, and personal revelations as the routine continues. Platt has been diagnosed with dysphoria, a condition that she mines for incredibly funny but also vulnerable humour. It’s impossible not to be charmed by this routine. Their condition also makes her skill as a comedian all the more remarkable – one of the symptoms of dysphoria is the overwhelming sense that people are laughing at you, after all.
This is a show that’s easy to relate to because the performer doesn’t pull any punches about how people behave in public. There’s a thread of self-deprecating humour throughout the show, which never feels maudlin or self-pitying; it’s just very human and true to itself.
Hannah Platt is a fierce new talent and absolutely one to watch. Go see their show so you can claim you knew them before they got famous.
