Today, we chatted with Dr Jo Prendergast for an About The Production chat about her show, Cancer and Cartwheels.
Cancer and Cartwheels is an inspiring, comedic solo show that takes audiences on a journey through Dr Jo’s breast cancer experiences, blending standup, musical numbers, and storytelling. With a mix of humor and heart, the show tackles everything from early cancer detection to menopause and health care inequalities—all wrapped up in a cartwheeling good time!
About Cancer and Cartwheels
What is this Production about?
Cancer and Cartwheels is an uplifting solo comedy show which celebrates my breast cancer survivorship and regaining my cartwheeling ability. I wrote the show during my cancer treatment as a way of coping and finding purpose. I take my experiences in funny, absurd directions via comedic skits and musical numbers and narrate via storytelling, standup comedy and use of images and video clips.
The show aims to entertain, and also to educate. I hope to increase awareness via comedy with messaging about early detection of cancer, menopause symptoms that are rarely talked about and living with the effects of cancer treatment. I also explore broader themes such as toxic positivity, body neutrality and health care inequality. Laugh and learn with an hilarious night of meaningful comedy.
What’s challenging about bringing this script to life?
The biggest challenge has been writing a script that finds the humour in my experiences as obviously cancer is inherently a tragic topic! With comedy about difficult topics, I think it’s essential to focus on our own personal experiences and not make generalised statements.
I use metaphors a lot in this show; after surgery I ended up with a perky B cup on the cancer side and on the other side, an age-appropriate semi flaccid D cup. I decided it was like I had a Millennial Boob and a Boomer Boob, so of course that required a skit of Generation Wars taking place in my bra! I noticed words that seemed inappropriate for cancer, such as it being ‘triple positive’; how uplifting is that!? I don’t think other illnesses get the ‘triple treatment’ – imagine if you were told you had triple gonorrhoea!
What sort of person is going to love this show?
My audience for this show has been diverse, from young people in their 20s who are interested in hearing my story and learning about cancer survivorship, to older folk in their 70s and 80s. The majority of my audience has been women 45-65, some of whom are breast cancer survivors and others who find the broader material about aging and menopause relatable.
There is also a health professional audience for the show, and this is likely to grow as I perform excerpts of the show at medical conferences. The health professional audience includes cancer society groups, doctors and nurses and others working in the area. While the focus of the show is my cancer survivorship story, there are also broader themes about coping with change, health care inequality, body neutrality and toxic positivity that are relatable to many people. Almost everyone’s lives have been touched by cancer, and the early detection messages are important for all to be reminded of.
What will the audience be thinking about in the car as they drive home after this show?
From what previous audiences have said, they are surprised at how much they laughed and learnt! I hope the audience leaves with a somewhat sore tummy and facial muscles from laughing so much. Also, that they takeaway some of the key health messages such as check for lumps in boobs and balls and find out your breast density. Hopefully, audiences leave with more understanding of the ongoing impact of breast cancer treatment or feeling that their own experiences have been portrayed on stage. Perhaps they may leave with a slightly lighter wallet if they decide to make a donation to the charity I am fundraising for, Breast Cancer Network Australia. And perhaps they take away a wish to try cartwheeling (no responsibility taken!).
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
To find out more, people can learn more about me at the Dr Jo Prendergast website or listen to me talking about the show here:
- https://pod.co/get-it-off-your-chest/joanna-prendergast-and-her-cancer-with-cartwheels
- https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/summer-days/audio/2018921862/comedy-and-cartwheels-dr-jo-prendergast
Where can patrons purchase tickets to this production?
Cancer And Cartwheels runs at the Adelaide Fringe from March 11th-15th, with show sessions commencing at 6:30 pm.
The show then goes on the road, travelling up the East Coast of Australia to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane for the following dates/times:-
- Adelaide – 11th March to 15th March (6:30 pm sessions) – Book Tickets
- Melbourne – 31st March to 6th April (5:45 pm sessions) – Book Tickets
- Sydney – 26th April (5:15 pm) – Book Tickets
- Brisbane – 17th May to 18th May (3:45 pm & 4:45pm) – Book Tickets
To learn more about Dr Jo Prendergast’s Comedy and other activities, please visit https://linktr.ee/joprendergast
