Little Lark of London

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Amy Matthews: I Feel Like I’m Made of Spiders starts with an intense mix of sounds and lights, throwing the audience into the chaos that Matthews has felt over the past year, before Matthews herself takes to the stage and immediately lightens the tone. The show is about dissociation, a mental health issue that is still relatively unheard of, but Matthews does a great job in not only explaining the concept to people but also engaging those who are already aware of it and letting them relate to the content of her show. Ironically, I had just had a dissociative episode for the first time the day before the show, so Matthews’s words were incredibly relevant. 

There are quite a few tangents that go off from the main narrative of Matthews and her struggles with dissociation, but each one of them is so unique and funny that they work within the context of the show. One in particular about Henry VIII in modern times had me in stitches and wanting to see another show in which Matthews just explores the lives of historic men and women in modern times. 

Along with talking about two failed relationships and her struggles with mental health, Matthews talks quite a bit about her view on children and motherhood, with highlights being her list of types of children at weddings and a recurring conversation that she has with one of her friends who has to meet her wherever her kid is due to a lack of availability. 

The ending of Amy Matthews: I Feel Like I’m Made of Spiders is the perfect way to tie up all loose ends and wrap up the story as a whole. Throughout the show, Matthews discusses how empty her new flat feels with its blank walls staring back at her. At the end of the show, she decorates the walls of the stage, putting up posters and decorations that call back to moments from the show. 

Ultimately, Amy Matthews: I Feel Like I’m Made of Spiders is an eye-opening reflection on dissociation that mixes storytelling and comedy in a beautiful way, allowing time for both. In a way, Matthews feels like the older sister of audience members, passing on advice based on her own experiences so that others may be able to succeed where she struggled. I found the show both relatable and hilarious, a combination of truth-telling and fantastical stories that come together to make a brilliant show. 

Amy Matthews: I Feel Like I’m Made of Spiders ran at Monkey Barrel Comedy, The Tron.