The old saying is that opposites attract, supposedly. In the case of The Problem With Me (and other people), it’s about how those opposites blend between the double-bill, hour long show of comics Jax Grayson and Chelsea Finlayson. Intricacies of human existence is a shared topic, but the difference in methods behind each comedian’s madness is night and day.

To use sports analogies, Finlayson is the rookie in her draft year, eager to make the most of the opportunity. In her debut Fringe season, she’s shooting off rapid fire quips, reckless anecdotes, and swinging hard to see what will connect. In the brief time she’s on stage as the opener, she’s distilling all of the Gen Z attention span conspiracy theories into stand-up form. The energy can’t be contained; she’s recounting underage Tinder experiences one minute, before dissecting the aftermath of her car’s untimely demise from barely a week ago the next. Finlayson rolls with the punches, pulls a couple at her own expense, then loads up and goes again.

Comparatively, Grayson is the veteran – cool, composed, and taking their time to land the shot. Opposite to Finlayson’s boundless energy, Grayson exerts an exhausted millennial aura; without spoilers, they draw heavily on recent, ongoing life events. The aforementioned exhausted aura is by no means a bad thing, though; there’s space to let the punchlines breathe, particularly with some of the heavier and particularly bizarre topics discussed through their set. Through using that space however, it allows Grayson to demonstrate that they’re not just a strong comedian, but an incredibly effective storyteller too.

Despite how these two opposing forces approach their interpretations of humanity, there’s still connections to be drawn between the two. Grayson’s chaotic, Finlayson’s unpredictable. But it’s the unwavering self-awareness to hold a mirror up to their own lives, as well as reflecting it onto the people around them, that really binds The Problem With Me (and other people) together. It’s these things that allow the double-bill to really aim high for the laughs, and excel while doing so.

The Problem With Me (and other people) is on at the Library at Ayers House Events until March 15. Tickets can be purchased from FringeTIX.

4 stars

Words by Dan Linke
Photo supplied