Natalie Palamides on Playing Toxic Relationships and Her Shocking New Show
Comedian Natalie Palamides' rise to fame as the toast of Off-Broadway was anything but expected. The 36-year-old's early work, including her debut show Laid and follow-up Nate, were raw, edgy, and tackled topics such as maternal anxiety, sexual assault, and consent in a way that left audiences both laughing and unsettled.
Since then, Palamides has found herself at the forefront of a new wave of comedians pushing the boundaries of what's considered acceptable. Her latest show Weer is no exception, where she plays both halves of a romantic comedy couple, Mark and Christina, with one half of her face and body playing Mark and the other, Christina.
The show, which premiered in Edinburgh last year, is a virtuosic performance stunt that flashes back from a car accident to stage the three-year span of the couple's relationship. Palamides' portrayal of the toxic relationship is both hilarious and uncomfortable, as she flirts and makes out with herself, bickers with and abuses herself.
Palamides' goal with Weer was to subvert the typical romantic comedy trope of rooting for a couple despite their problems. Instead, she wanted to explore how audiences are conditioned to believe that even toxic relationships can be fixed with enough love and laughter. The show is also a critique of gender assumptions and conventions, burrowing under the skin of societal expectations.
"I was determined that all those feelings you feel watching those movies would be there in my show," Palamides says of her inspirations. "I wanted to explore how in most romantic comedies we're fed in our culture, the relationships are toxic, but you still root for them to be together."
Weer is no mere homage to rom-coms; it's a bold statement that challenges audiences to question their assumptions about love and relationships. Palamides' position as a leading voice in comedy has consolidated her reputation as a fearless and innovative comedian.
Speaking of which, Palamides is set to premiere a new solo project at the Netflix Is a Joke festival this May. The show, which she's described as "not palatable" and "very off-putting," features a character who claims to be pregnant with the second coming and births a raw steak that she eats.
"I'm fearful to do this, because I was raised Catholic," Palamides admits. "I was super-scared of Satan and demons when I was growing up. It feels so taboo to delve into this area." But for Palamides, taboos are currency – and she's not afraid to push boundaries.
With Weer and her upcoming solo project, Natalie Palamides is cementing her status as comedy's most fearless and innovative voice. Whether you're laughing or squirming in your seat, one thing is certain: this clown is here to shake things up.
Comedian Natalie Palamides' rise to fame as the toast of Off-Broadway was anything but expected. The 36-year-old's early work, including her debut show Laid and follow-up Nate, were raw, edgy, and tackled topics such as maternal anxiety, sexual assault, and consent in a way that left audiences both laughing and unsettled.
Since then, Palamides has found herself at the forefront of a new wave of comedians pushing the boundaries of what's considered acceptable. Her latest show Weer is no exception, where she plays both halves of a romantic comedy couple, Mark and Christina, with one half of her face and body playing Mark and the other, Christina.
The show, which premiered in Edinburgh last year, is a virtuosic performance stunt that flashes back from a car accident to stage the three-year span of the couple's relationship. Palamides' portrayal of the toxic relationship is both hilarious and uncomfortable, as she flirts and makes out with herself, bickers with and abuses herself.
Palamides' goal with Weer was to subvert the typical romantic comedy trope of rooting for a couple despite their problems. Instead, she wanted to explore how audiences are conditioned to believe that even toxic relationships can be fixed with enough love and laughter. The show is also a critique of gender assumptions and conventions, burrowing under the skin of societal expectations.
"I was determined that all those feelings you feel watching those movies would be there in my show," Palamides says of her inspirations. "I wanted to explore how in most romantic comedies we're fed in our culture, the relationships are toxic, but you still root for them to be together."
Weer is no mere homage to rom-coms; it's a bold statement that challenges audiences to question their assumptions about love and relationships. Palamides' position as a leading voice in comedy has consolidated her reputation as a fearless and innovative comedian.
Speaking of which, Palamides is set to premiere a new solo project at the Netflix Is a Joke festival this May. The show, which she's described as "not palatable" and "very off-putting," features a character who claims to be pregnant with the second coming and births a raw steak that she eats.
"I'm fearful to do this, because I was raised Catholic," Palamides admits. "I was super-scared of Satan and demons when I was growing up. It feels so taboo to delve into this area." But for Palamides, taboos are currency – and she's not afraid to push boundaries.
With Weer and her upcoming solo project, Natalie Palamides is cementing her status as comedy's most fearless and innovative voice. Whether you're laughing or squirming in your seat, one thing is certain: this clown is here to shake things up.
. I mean, who needs Netflix's formulaic rom-coms when you can watch a comedian make fun of toxic relationships and societal expectations? 
It's like she's saying, "Hey, love isn't all rainbows and unicorns – it's messy and complicated." And honestly, that's something we could all learn from. The way she critiques traditional romantic comedy tropes is so sharp and clever 
. I'm excited to see what her new solo project is all about – I have a feeling it's going to be just as bold and unapologetic 
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its literally so bold she plays a toxic relationship and makes u laugh & cringe at the same time lol i love how she's not afraid 2 tackle sensitive topics like gender assumptions & societal expectations. and now shes doing another solo project on netflix that sounds crazy btw "not palatable" and "very off-putting"... already got my popcorn ready 
. I mean, who wants to watch a romantic comedy where everything is perfect? Weer might make you laugh but also squirm in your seat, which is kinda genius imo. 
It's clear that Natalie Palamides is unafraid to take risks and push boundaries in her comedy, which is inspiring to audiences and solidifying her reputation as a fearless voice in the industry.
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. And I'm curious to see what her new solo project is all about, especially since it deals with themes that might be considered taboo 
. One thing's for sure, though: Natalie Palamides is a true original and a fearless voice in comedy 
It's going to be interesting to see how she continues to push boundaries and challenge our assumptions about love, relationships, and identity.
And I love how she's pushing against societal expectations of what's "acceptable" in romantic comedies. But at the same time, I'm a bit worried about her new solo project... birthin' a raw steak from nowhere? 
Either way, I'm intrigued and excited to see where she takes it next! 
she's like a genius comedian who can make me laugh AND think at the same time lol her new show weir is EVERYTHING and more i love how she's pushing boundaries with her performances and exploring topics that are hard to talk about but need to be said out loud 
i'm so down for her upcoming solo project too, i mean who else could make a pregnant character give birth to a raw steak look normal 
her show weir is literally genius - who else can make a toxic relationship seem both hilarious and relatable? 
. Her solo project at Netflix Is a Joke festival sounds wild too 