Liz Miele is a smart, sardonic firecracker from New Jersey who’s been on the comedy circuit since the tender age of 16. She is by all accounts a seasoned professional, with a programmed hour of unceasing hilarity.
Miele’s brutal honesty and dry wit is charming and funny in equal measure.
Mind Over Melee is delivered virtually flawlessly. She whips from topic to topic in a seamless array of observation and introspection. Europe, acne, sex, cats and her own career are all discussed with equally excellent content and delivery. Gag after gag after gag flows without missing a beat. It’s clear that she knows her material inside out, and performs it freshly and without a single moment of hesitation.
It’s quite astounding the amount of material she manages to fit into an hour. She proves herself an excellent millennial comedian in her discussion of Facebook and modern day relationships, noting that doing stand-up really prepares her for the rejection that comes with dating.
Miele’s hard-hitting no-bullshit style is totally fitting with the New York circuit to which she belongs. Her brilliantly dry delivery and Jersey drawl complete a forcible and gutsy performance. She is without a doubt a shining beacon of the New York comedy scene. A particular highlight is her bit on becoming a New Yorker, which I can only imagine is even funnier for Americans, and hilarious for New Yorkers.
Dark notes, like her family’s history of mental illness, and her own health problems, punctuate her set at crucial moments, lending a real depth to her material. Her discussion of race tentatively toes the line of offensive as she admits her own shortcomings when it comes to discrimination. This discussion flirts slightly too far with inappropriate and doesn’t sit as well with the rest of her set. However, she is quick to pull it back.
Miele’s brutal honesty and dry wit is charming and funny in equal measure. I challenge anyone to leave this show feeling short-changed.
