It's the next morning and I am still giggling. That's the just the effect Urzila Carlson has. Which is of course a rather good effect for a comedian. The South Africa-raised 'lesbitarian' has stormed ahead on the comedy circuit in the past year, something which was evident in the good-sized and excitable second night crowd, which was in stitches from the moment Carlson took the stage. The Truth According to Urzila Carlson is all about the lies we tell, whether for good reasons, bad reasons, or no reason at all. Carlson points out we all fib, claiming it's genetic, as even toddlers come up with excuses like 'the bunny did it' when they break something. The best thing about Carlson's shows is that she isn't boxed in by her sexuality, stuck offering one tired dyke joke after another. In fact her sexuality is only brushed upon as it naturally comes up in this show, as she concentrates on a litany of jobs she has held and the lies she has told to get them. Her humour ranges from chaste chuckle-inducing one-liners to raucous, breathless snort-creating descriptions of why NOBODY should wear white lycra. The peak of the performance comes when she describes a party guest she had barely met who should have lied about why she had been off work for a week, rather than telling a real life horror story involving an orifice which nobody should ever hear, never mind a stranger! Carlson has trimmed down significantly recently and her fat jokes don't quite have the same weighty impact, but otherwise her new show is wide-ranging, hilarious and pretty much the best therapy around. So make up a lie to get out of the house if you need to, just get along to her show. You don't want to have to lie later and say you went. Carlson will be on stage at The Basement Upstairs until Saturday night for $15-$20 (Thursday night is sold out), and on Sunday will be among the big guns battling for the Billy T Awards at Last Laugh. GayNZ.com will have a full update on how she does on the big night! Jacqui Stanford - 19th May 2011