Sue Perkins' return to live comedy, 'The Eternal Shame', promises a deeply personal and shame-filled journey but falls short on delivering the promised introspection. The former Bake Off star attempts to unveil the layers of her public persona, only to reveal a character who's been cleverly crafted to conceal vulnerabilities.
Perkins' set is structured in two parts: Act one appears to delve into themes of aging, middle-aged shame, and self-deprecation, but instead offers anecdotes that barely connect to these ideas. She recounts an absurd tale about local drug dealers cloning her car registration, which comes across as more prideful than shameful, while a story about rescuing a wounded pup on a trip to Bolivia is laced with pride rather than vulnerability.
It's only in the second half of the show that Perkins allows herself to be genuinely vulnerable. She recounts a harrowing experience with a benign tumour on her pituitary gland, which left her in a state of limbo akin to a posh One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest scenario. This poignant passage reveals the protective layers she's carefully constructed around her public persona and shines a light on a more meaningful side of Perkins' character.
The rest of the show remains entertaining but superficial, with Perkins relying on witty jokes and humorous anecdotes that barely scratch the surface of self-abasement. It's as if she's using comedy to avoid true introspection, instead opting for lighthearted tales of self-deprecation. While Perkins' comedic delivery is undoubtedly skilled, 'The Eternal Shame' feels like a missed opportunity to delve deeper into her personal struggles and vulnerabilities.
Perkins' set is structured in two parts: Act one appears to delve into themes of aging, middle-aged shame, and self-deprecation, but instead offers anecdotes that barely connect to these ideas. She recounts an absurd tale about local drug dealers cloning her car registration, which comes across as more prideful than shameful, while a story about rescuing a wounded pup on a trip to Bolivia is laced with pride rather than vulnerability.
It's only in the second half of the show that Perkins allows herself to be genuinely vulnerable. She recounts a harrowing experience with a benign tumour on her pituitary gland, which left her in a state of limbo akin to a posh One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest scenario. This poignant passage reveals the protective layers she's carefully constructed around her public persona and shines a light on a more meaningful side of Perkins' character.
The rest of the show remains entertaining but superficial, with Perkins relying on witty jokes and humorous anecdotes that barely scratch the surface of self-abasement. It's as if she's using comedy to avoid true introspection, instead opting for lighthearted tales of self-deprecation. While Perkins' comedic delivery is undoubtedly skilled, 'The Eternal Shame' feels like a missed opportunity to delve deeper into her personal struggles and vulnerabilities.
. It's like she's trying to win some kind of award for most vulnerable person in comedy, you know? Meanwhile, I'm over here thinking, what about the underlying issues that are actually affecting people's lives? Shouldn't we be having more meaningful conversations about mental health and self-care rather than just laughing at ourselves online? 
And don't even get me started on how much of a role social media plays in shaping our public personas. It's like Perkins is trying to outdo herself with each new joke or anecdote, all while hiding behind this 'posh' persona that's supposed to be relatable but ends up feeling like a caricature 
. Can't we just have some real talk for once? 
? It's not exactly the most relatable or vulnerable topic, you know? And don't get me wrong, her jokes are on point as always, but sometimes less is more, right? The part that really resonated with me was when she talked about her experience with a benign tumour - that was some next-level vulnerability right there 
. I think she had the potential to take us on a real journey of self-discovery, but it felt like she stuck to what we know and love about her. Maybe next time?
I was kinda hyped about Sue Perkins' show but it didn't quite hit the mark for me... I mean, I loved some of the jokes 
, sharing this really tough experience with her pituitary gland issue... that was super relatable & made me feel like I was getting a glimpse into her real self 
. Still, I think if she'd dug deeper into those feelings, it could've been something truly special 
. the rest of it just felt like a bunch of lighthearted funny stories that didn't really go anywhere 
. i think sue is actually trying to be deep but her comedy style just isn't there yet 
. anyway, i'm still excited for more content from her in the future 
. It feels like she's trying to be relatable and all that, but it comes across as kinda... performative? 
. Maybe I'm just expecting too much, but I think 'The Eternal Shame' could've been so much more 
It feels like she's using comedy as a shield or something. The part about her tumour tho... that was nice. It felt more genuine. Maybe they could've done both: had some real, vulnerable moments and still kept the rest funny 
.
. Still, it felt like most of the show was just a bunch of funny anecdotes strung together without much cohesion or real introspection. Maybe next time she'll take another shot at getting her thoughts and feelings out there 
. Don't get me wrong, she's still hilarious, but it's like she's not really being her true self up there 
. But for me, that's what made 'Eternal Shame' a bit of a letdown - if she'd just gone deeper into those darker moments, that's when the real comedy gold would've been 
. I mean, cloning her car registration? Come on, Sue! That was more hilarious than embarrassing 
. It's like we're getting glimpses of this super vulnerable person behind the public persona, but it's not enough 
. Perkins is a comedic genius, don't get me wrong, but this show feels like it missed its mark 
.
. She tries to tackle some heavy topics but it's all just surface level jokes and anecdotes that don't even remotely scratch the surface of real vulnerability 
, that was like a whole different show. It's like she was trying to avoid getting real with us and instead stuck to some lighthearted humor 
.
... it's all good laughs but doesn't really feel super personal or honest. You get the sense that she's trying to be silly and avoid talking about anything too serious 
. I wanted her to be really raw and honest about who she is as a person, but it just didn't feel that way 
- that was like a whole other level of realness right there 
. The rest of the show was fun to watch and all, but it felt like we were getting glimpses of her personality rather than really digging in 
. Still can't help but want more 
. But overall, I think she missed the mark on this one 
, but you know what's even more weird? how some places have laws that require you to replace your number plate if it gets damaged in a accident... like, what's the point of that? 
I mean, we've all been there with our own personal struggles and stuff, but at least be honest about it, you know? 
also her jokes are so clever 
maybe i'm just expecting too much from a comedy show but man, 'the eternal shame' felt like it was missing something 
[