Ruby Wax – I'm Not As Well As I Thought I Was

Ruby Wax has been open about her mental health struggles for decades, finding humour in a topic that can still feel a bit taboo. But Ruby manages to toe the line in I'm Not As Well As I Thought I Was, presented as a play, it details life changing journeys she ventured on before time at a mental institution. Ruby went on a silent retreat, swam with humpback whales, and even spent time at a Christian monastery. The recounts are rife with the perfect balance of pathos and humour, in a way only Ruby knows how. But these anecdotes felt more like standup than a play, the only real performance pieces coming when Ruby illustrated the mental facility. While most of the hour was done with great care and empathy, an out-of-place reference to “cutters” down the hall of the mental ward felt inappropriately outdated, but it was just a small demerit in an otherwise engaging hour.