Scout Boxall’s show ‘God’s Favourite’ uses compelling comedic storytelling to share the artist’s experiences of living with bipolar disorder, transforming a personal ordeal into an hour of engaging theatre infused with dark humour.

Before the show starts, the audience is greeted by a soothing recording of Bob Ross’ narration of his painting process and techniques. Scout dramatically shifts the energy of the room with their entrance and introduction of their identity on spectrums of sexuality, neurodiversity and mental health diagnoses to establish their position in the narrative.

Scout tells the story of the worst night of their life – on a trip to regional Victoria forgetting to bring their mood regulating medication. Insomnia ensues. If Bob Ross and AI generated rain sounds can’t relax you, how about more facts about history’s greatest nuns or lamenting how much the hard drive you threw away with 3.4 Bitcoins on it years ago is worth now?

The audience is treated with anecdotes from the night as well as tangent and flashback scenes that colour the experience. Humorous shade is thrown around different mental health conditions from a perspective of a live action role-playing community that is rich in neurodiversity. Scout’s lived experience is evident throughout the story and the authenticity and honesty of the storytelling sheds light on many of the struggles faced by people living with mental health issues. A seemingly simple task of trying to fall asleep can turn into an overwhelming if not life-threatening nightmare.

With a furiously articulate prepared monologue and a confidence of wit when veering from the prepared material, Scout seems to manage their mental health with the same overachieving control demonstrated in this show. Their well-crafted delivery rivets the attention of the crowd so nobody’s snoozing in the audience either.

The attention this writer-performer’s getting in the Fringe and comedy festival circuit is well deserved, their confident articulation of their generation’s slathering identity politics is brilliantly well-prepared. It’s formidable to behold. People who have somehow been untouched by mental health issues in their own experience may struggle to relate or enjoy the show to the fullest but will certainly gain a rare and valuable glimpse of the daily struggles of people grappling with mental illness and the resilience they demonstrate.

If dark humour is not your thing, you might not get many laughs out of this show, but there’s plenty from other fans; Scout Boxall’s own laughter carries the menace of an evil villain! Whether Scout’s story echoes your own or you find yourself to be an outsider peering in, the show delivers an audacious and incisive dive into the messy but often hilarious realities of living with mental illness. For those who enjoy dark humour spiced with emotional whiplash, this is a must-see. After all, sometimes the best way to cope with the chaos of life is to laugh defiantly and manically in its face.