Jordan Barr: Dog Why, at The Westin Melbourne - 60 minutes

Frequently politically incorrect, Jordan Barr revels in pushing the boundaries in a show that stirs the pot.

Many are in the firing line of this quick-witted comedian, who maintains a fast tempo, with plenty of asides (quick quips).

Complete with PowerPoint, a couple of jazz stings and a musical in memoriam with a decided twist, she shocks and provokes.

She is unashamedly bolshie. Her material will probably land best with those in their 30s and under.

Barr takes to the stage over a full-throated rendition of Who Let the Dogs Out.

She starts by telling us a little about herself, including an unfortunate incident on the Ferris wheel at Luna Park in 2004.

She proceeds to outline what it means to be a girl, giving us three good examples, including being a certain age for as long as they like.

Terms of endearment (and not) for the vagina gets a look in.

A quote pertaining to figs from American poet and author Sylvia Plath (27th October, 1932 – 11th February, 1963) is referenced, to whom she returns later in her set.

Barr professes her interest in the cultural phenomenon ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response), which thrives on social media.

So too The Dodo, which serves up emotionally and visually compelling animal related stories and videos, which leads her to speak of sheepadoodle Bunny.

Next up, plastic surgery – in Barr’s case, having a couple of moles removed.

There is a glowing reference to the surgeon’s “stunning” office and the experience of anaesthesia – she had a “special time”.

While not fully under, Barr found herself speaking throughout her entire surgery, spilling the beans on all sorts of juicy stuff.

When she sheepishly returned to the doctor’s office post surgery, he surely remembered her.

After an episode with a magpie, she decided to give up porn. Massages are not her thing either, after an episode with an older man when on a school trip. Think lots of oil and belly pokes. Funny stuff that.

Barr loves to travel and speaks of her first visit to Edinburgh Fringe, where she named her show Beast, not realising that it had another meaning in Scotland.

That takes her back to her teenage years, when she was obsessed with British culture.

What follows are details of another embarrassing episode with a word that meant something other than what she thought it did.

Barr says she loves it when a bad person dies, but she upends expectations when she references the target of a good-looking alleged killer.

She doesn’t want execution to be brought back to Australia, but would settle for return of stocks.

She starts a list of those she can’t countenance and it is not just human.

She says she finds Donald Trump funny and has a soft spot for the level of confidence Mark Wahlberg brings. That leads to a reference to male loneliness.

As mentioned at the outset, a decidedly “out there” musical in memoriam, accompanied by humorous slides, sees her out.

Jordan Barr clearly doesn’t go for safe comedy, which means she will appeal to some more than others.

She has pluck/spirit in spades. Her delivery is confident, polished, sharp and pointed. She is good at what she does.

Jordan Barr: Dog Why is on at The Westin Melbourne, as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, until 20th April, 2025.