LOU WALL SLAYS,
AND THAT’S NO LIE

Whether a comedian is obligated to tell the truth in their act comes up in mainstream discourse every once and a while. Plenty of comedians start a comedy bit with “You know, a funny thing happened to me on my way over here,” knowing full well it happened five years ago (although, let’s be honest, audiences are not stupid, they usually know it’s an act). Comedian Hasan Minhaj came under fire in 2023 when The New Yorker revealed some of his personal stories used for his specials were less than 1:1 retellings. Minhaj countered with an insistence that he was telling an “emotional truth”, and most comedians will tell you if something is more funny than true it will probably fly on stage. But how much of a comedian’s act has to be true?

This central question is what drives Melbourne Comedy Festival Award nominee Lou Wall’s new show Breaking the Fifth Wall, a solo show about, well, lying. Some other questions are driving this show: “How do you discount something that’s free?”; “Why are these text messages rhyming?”; and of course, “Is anything here true at all?” Wall may not be answering questions as existential as that in this hour-long exploration of internet virality, mental health, and coming clean; nonetheless the rug is pulled out from under viewers so much that you may as well just lie down for this one.

Director Zoë Coombs Marr ensures a brisk set, one which is packed with laughs and crowd work. Watch as Wall switches seamlessly from a written act to exchanging wit with various patrons. It feels at times like Wall has something to say for anything thrown out by the audience.

Joined by just a laptop and a projection screen, Wall draws us in with a story about a Facebook Marketplace meetup gone horribly wrong, and from there the story gets more and more layered. Using original music, TV and film clips, and clever video editing, Wall spins a story that’s almost so crazy, it can’t be true.

Which is the point actually — it comes with the territory that a show about truth in standup is going to reveal a fib or two. From the jump, Wall admits to “breaking down all the walls,” revealing secrets and fibs made along the way since this wild Facebook Marketplace story first went viral.

Breaking the Fifth Wall has a few twists to throw at us, and a reveal that rivals some of the best cinematic achievements by auteur Christopher Nolan. Just remember that while the story may or may not be made up, the laughs sure are real.

photos by Emilio Madrid

Lou Wall: Breaking the Fifth Wall
Mike & Carlee Productions and Token Events
Soho Playhouse, 15 Vandam St.
Wed-Sat at 9; Sun at 7
ends on October 5, 2025
for tickets (starting at $30), visit Soho Playhouse
international tour continues; click here for dates
for more info, visit Lou Wall