26.87°C Australian comedian Thao Cao has built a career from telling stories that many people would rather keep to themselves.
Near-death experiences, racism on public transport and years of jokes about her Vietnamese name all feature in What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Funnier, the stand-up show she brings to Coda as part of this year’s Colchester Fringe Summer Weekender.
Rather than dwelling on difficult moments, Cao turns them into comedy, combining dry wit, sharp one-liners and personal storytelling that regularly catches audiences off guard.
“This isn’t just ‘here are some jokes’ comedy,” she said. “It’s the kind where you find yourself laughing, then suddenly thinking, ‘Wait… where is this going?'”
“If you like comedy with surprises, revelations and a story that keeps turning left when you thought it was going straight, this has plenty of that for you. I’ve nearly died three times. I chose to make it material instead.”
The show opens with what Cao describes as a contamination event, makes an unexpected stop in a bathroom and ends with a humanitarian crisis. Between those moments are stories drawn from her own life, finding humour in situations that are awkward, uncomfortable and, at times, frightening.
Originally from Vietnam and now based in Sydney, Cao has been performing stand-up since 2014. She has appeared at festivals including the Edinburgh Fringe, Brighton Fringe, Adelaide Fringe, Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Tallinn Fringe, earning award nominations and praise for her distinctive voice and storytelling.
Reviewers have described her work as “stand-up comedy at its very best”, praised her “constant laugh-out-loud comedy”, and highlighted her sharp one-liners.
What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Funnier will be performed at Coda on Thursday 23, Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 July as part of the Colchester Fringe Summer Weekender.
Event Details
Venue: Coda, 63 High Street, Colchester
Thursday 23 July – 8.30pm
Saturday 25 July – 6pm
Sunday 26 July – 6pm
Running time: 50 minutes
Age guidance: 16+
Tickets: £8 (+ booking fee)
Tickets for What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Funnier, and the full Colchester Fringe Summer Weekender programme are available via the official festival website.
You can read the Keep Colchester Cool guide to the weekender here.
