Boston is an amazing city for comedy shows. From free shows to personalized improv shows, the city has it all. I was fortunate enough to snag a ticket to Irene Tu’s September 19 show at the North End’s White Bull Tavern, which features weekly comedy shows.
I found Tu while scrolling on Instagram and her stage presence grabbed my attention, particularly her delivery timing. Tu has been featured on Comedy Central’s “Clusterfest,” and has taken part in multiple comedy festivals.
The opener was Emily Ruskowski, who talked about being a therapist, traveling and 90’s fashion coming back. I found her set particularly engaging as she brought a very comforting vibe to the stage.
Tu came on and started off by mentioning how her sweatshirt matched the curtain behind her which got the first laugh out of many people. The rest of the room had a country-style vibe with dim lighting and wooden decor, setting the mood for a night of comedy.
I would have to commemorate Tu’s quick wit and fast thinking, especially when she was engaging with her audience at the end. Tu’s mellow tone in voice and delivery amplified the jokes. Her laid-back aura set the tone for her jokes and the way she presented them.
She took a very long time to deliver the punchline or you’d expect more to her answer, and that’s the joke in itself. Tu joked and talked about social justice, activism and gender, joking about subjects people don’t normally talk about or vocalize. She continued and talked about Boston and Mark Wahlberg, no-brainers for the regular Bostonian. She ended the night by telling absurd, unhinged stories about her experiences with various healthcare providers.
Tu talked about how she wanted to join the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests but couldn’t amidst the pandemic and wanting to protect her grandmother, whom she was living with at the time. Meanwhile, inside the house, her grandma was being pretty racist.
What I did notice was that she had reused a joke from the original video that caught my attention. Tu always talks about how she gives off “they/them energy” but instead she’s “just a lesbian,” but continues by saying if she were non-binary, she would be a boring non-binary person. Instead, she calls herself a “cool lesbian.” While it was kind of a shame to know the punchline, that is Tu’s signature joke. Overall, my face was hurting the whole night because I was laughing so hard.
At the end, Tu did a meet and greet with the audience. I was fortunate enough to talk to her, snap a picture and get a quote. To get one final laugh out of me, Tu said, “I love Boston, I hate the airport.”
