Milo Standards: Penis De Milo presents a sharp and thought-provoking take on anti-feminist comedy through the lens of drag king performance. Creator, comedian Kate Smurthwaite, uses the character of Milo to satirise toxic masculinity and skewer misogynistic attitudes.

Milo’s character confidently ‘unzips the trousers of truth’, offering dating advice from his fictional podcast, ‘The Schlong Game’ and embracing a masculinity so exaggerated it borders on caricature, which, of course, is exactly the point: to push the absurdity of toxic masculinity to its limits and make the audience question its hold on society.

The concept is refreshingly clever, and many of the jokes land effectively, though at times, the character feels a bit one-dimensional as the show progresses. There’s potential to explore Milo beyond his initial premise, which could have added even more depth to the performance. The satire works best Smurthwaite clearly using Milo to expose the absurdity of certain male behaviours and attitudes.

The show walks a fine line with its dark humour, but the framing of the drag king performance creates enough distance to make the more twisted jokes palatable. It’s a smart commentary on how we judge comedic content differently based on the gender of the performer.

For those seeking thought-provoking comedy with a feminist twist, Penis De Milo provides an engaging and entertaining evening, with the character offering room for further development, while also shining a light on the absurdity of misogyny.

Milo Standards: Penis De Milo runs until Sunday 16 March. Grab your tickets here.

By Jess Pyke

3.5 stars