Hannah Platt unravels her frank and acerbic world view – and after a diagnosis of body dysmorphia, how the world looks back at her.
Hannah Platt debuted at the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe at the Pleasance Courtyard to huge critical acclaim with her show ‘Defence Mechanism’ that was also nominated for four awards including NextUp’s Biggest Award in Comedy and the Comedian’s Choice Awards Best Debut. She now brings the show to London’s Soho Theatre for three nights from Thursday 20th – Saturday 22nd March. Hannah is a refreshingly honest and distinctive northern voice with an unflinching outlook on the world - and, in this show, how the world looks back at her.
In the show Hannah discusses her recent diagnosis of body dysmorphia - how this shapes her interaction with the world, how media representation is skewed in favour of ‘models who don’t know they’re gorgeous’, and how therapy techniques and positive affirmations don’t always work against scally teenagers taking her picture on the train - or is everyone else gaslighting her? Are these the only people telling her the truth?? What begins as her villain origin story (or it would be, had it not happened so recently) sees Hannah poking fun at self help, the commercialisation of mindfulness, and how even her scouse mum can get on board if it rhymes and fits on a fridge magnet!
The show aims to unpick the defence mechanisms we all accrue through bad experiences - what makes us keep people at arm’s length? What is so uncomfortable about being sincere and vulnerable? And are you really a people pleaser if no one is pleased with you?
Listings
Hannah Platt: Defence Mechanism: Thurs 20 March – Sat 22 March
Soho Theatre Dean Street, 21 Dean Street, London W1D 3NE