Abby Howells: Welcome to My Dream

Abby Howells has a long list of enemies. Or, moreso, at least a few ongoing feuds: notably with the New Zealand attraction Puzzle World, with a bloke from her old improv troupe, and with some online haters. This show is about that, but it also isn’t. 

Opening with the eccentric crooning of 1968 song “Welcome to My Dream”, from which the show takes its name, this show is so authentically Abby Howells from start to finish. And aren’t we lucky that we get to see Abby Howells just be herself? Because that self is charming, hilarious, and has undeniably nailed the art of stand-up comedy. 

To get real for a second: as an autistic woman myself, it makes me immensely happy to see an autistic female comedian selling out her shows. Abby Howells deserves every bit of praise that has been heaped her way. She just might be the future of stand-up comedy. And you can bet that I’ll never be going to Puzzle World: real recognises real.