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Have you ever sat in a comedy show and thought, what happened to this comedian’s childhood to convince them to seek validation from a room full of strangers for a living? Shrink Wrapped is that thought… made public.
Catching its WA debut at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Northbridge, I quickly realised this wasn’t just stand-up.
It was a live, mildly invasive psychological autopsy.
The premise is deliciously cruel: three comedians perform sets pulled from their younger years, then a real psychologist (the razor-sharp Katie Baylis) steps in to analyse what’s actually lurking beneath the punchlines. Everyone returns for the reckoning. Diagnosis delivered. Ego braced. There’s even a cheeky $20 bonus if someone cries.
Hosted by the high-energy Robyn Perkins, the show walks a perfect line between insightful and completely unhinged.
Elaine Fellows opened with stories that escalated fast — from family accidents to jaw-dropping confessions — including the unforgettable line that if Jesus had met her, he wouldn’t have died for her. Watching that get gently unpacked into issues of self-worth was equal parts hilarious and uncomfortable.
Ollie Horn was a curious addition. He insisted that five out of his ten prescribed sessions was enough, so we were interested to see which road this second opinion would lead us down.
Our host Robyn didn’t simply sit by the sidelines. She shared a vulnerable reflection on coming out as bisexual — comforted by the knowledge that her mum would simply keep praying.
The real joy of Shrink Wrapped was watching confident smirks slowly melt into wait… is that actually true? moments.
It’s funny, fascinating and just voyeuristic enough to feel naughty. With rotating psychologists, no two shows are the same, and the tension between clinical insight and comic deflection is comedy gold.
Laughs were plentiful, insights were sharp and while no comedians cried on the night, everyone left a little more self-aware than they arrived.