 Nicole Nadler steps confidently into her hosting era with Exposure Therapy, her third Fringe show in as many years. After earning 5-star and 4-star reviews from us for her previous shows—intimate, sharply observed works exploring life through the lens of a late-stage ADHD diagnosis but this year she takes a fresh direction. But while the structure may have changed, the show still promises Nadler’s trademark vulnerability, humour, and insight.
As you descend into the basement venue on George Street, you're invited into something more than just a performance. A pinboard, a stack of post-it notes, and a pen await. You're encouraged to jot down your birthday (prompting Nicole to read a diary or Notes app entry from that date), offer a truth or dare, or share a personal fear. These anonymous submissions are folded into a pot, drawn at random, and used by Nadler to guide the evening—creating a show that feels spontaneous, interactive, and emotionally resonant. On this warm Saturday night, the crowd came through and shared raw, heartfelt fears about failure, relationships, and self-worth, making the experience all the more intimate and affecting. This show feels unmistakably and delightfully millennial in the best possible way. It has the energy and charm of the early days of internet video content, the kind of raw, DIY spirit you’d have seen in the early work of Vice or Rookie, when storytelling was more long form before TikTok and about personality and perspective than polish. The production values are modest and cheap, even but that’s half the appeal. It’s scrappy, playful, and engaging. In that era of handheld cameras, lo-fi editing, and honest oversharing, Nicole would’ve been a star. Exposure Therapy is a wonderfully cobbled-together throwback that works because of her charisma, openness, and instinct for connection. She holds the whole thing together with warmth, wit, and an off-the-cuff honesty that feels nostalgic. Nicole is a fantastic host as she’s warm, relatable, and brimming with that slightly chaotic energy that makes you both wonder how she does it all and wish you had a little of it yourself. Her success over the past three years speaks volumes about the connection she builds with audiences, who keep coming back for more. Exposure Therapy is built on a simple concept, but in Nicole’s hands, it becomes something genuinely engaging, funny, and at times disarmingly heartfelt and raw. The fifty minutes fly by, and what emerges isn’t just another Fringe show but a showcase of Nicole’s talent not only as a performer, but as a creator and host with the potential to go much further. Whether it’s live performance, presenting, or shaping interactive work, this feels like just the beginning. Lee Hutchison 4/5 Exposure Therapy Venue: Greenside @ George Street Dates: August 3rd to 23rd (excluding 10th and 17th) Time: 2210 Tickets: www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/supermarket-86 |
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