A unique and riveting experience,
Tig Notaro's Live captures the comedian during a moment that's both artistically naked and emotionally raw. The artistic part comes from the fact that this is untested, brand new material performed for the first time in front of an audience, but it's the emotional part that's the kicker, seeing as this is the moment
Tig announces to the world -- at an open mike night in Los Angeles -- that she has cancer. Breast cancer, as she recounts her doctor's words of "We found a lump" ("That's my boob!" she replies) and "We found a lump on the other side too" ("Yeah, I got another one over there too. Those are my boobs"). This comes after the recent death of her mother, along with a horrible break-up. Not very funny stuff at all, but
Tig's an amazing comedian, and through some uncomfortable interaction with the audience, along with some stories so crushing they're ridiculous (the "if you don't laugh, you'll cry" kind), the title of this release transforms from an adjective to a verb. "How did you get such a flat stomach?" a medical tech asks. "Well, I'm dying" is her answer, but there are many other examples of her turning darkness into light and/or light-heartedness, and they should be experienced firsthand, not spoiled. Even if this is barely over half-an-hour of raw audio, it's comedy at its best and recommended for anyone who loves standup as an art form, which it certainly is in
Tig's skilled hands. ~ David Jeffries