Comedy Review - Hannah Malarski: That's The Way The Mop Flaps
Images courtesy of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
Award-winning Tasmanian comedian Hannah Malarski is back at Melbourne Comedy Fest 2025 with a hilarious one-hour comedy show that had me (and the entire room) giggling the whole time.
I didn’t know what to expect. When I read the show blurb, Hannah quickly got me with the ‘3rd most well-known lesbian Hannah from Tasmania’ line… I’m so happy that I went because the laughs were even bigger during her show. It was such a good time!
Hannah’s style is very distinctly her own, blending stand-up, sketch comedy, music, powerpoint presentations and audience interaction. She’s warm and engaging with the audience but consistently silly and never breaks character. Her acting talent is brilliant and brings her comedy to laugh-out-loud levels!
That’s The Way The Mop Flaps feels like a hilarious variety show. It doesn’t follow a particular theme, but it does keep a natural pace between sketches. Even while immersed in the performance, I was thinking about how good Hannah’s transitions are as she naturally weaves into new characters and stories that are totally different from one another. Seriously, going from ‘Would you love me if…’ to the topic of grass, to aging… and that’s not even half of it. As well as being a fantastic comedian, I have to commend Hannah’s writing.
It was a treat to see Hannah’s famous ‘Lesbian Alphabet’ featured in the show, especially for wlw audience members. I love that it incorporates distinctly Australian references such as cultural icon, Bunnings, with many others relatable on a world scale.
The show also features her supportive partner Ash, who performed very well in a few hilarious supporting character roles! When I thanked Ash later, they mentioned they are not a regular performer - just the partner who gets written into the show and goes along with it. Their chemistry together overall added to the fun of the show!
Hannah’s sketches hit the comedy sweet spot between theatre and silliness. The lighting, voice-over of God, music and staging came together to make this a stand-out variety hour. I think it’s particularly relatable to 30-somethings and over, and lesbian / wlw comedy goers as some of the topics hit close to home for those of us in these boxes. However, with Hannah’s broad range in her sketches and stand-up, this is a show for everyone!
Hannah Malarski is a hoot! 🦉 I only wish that That’s The Way The Mop Flaps had a longer run at MICF this year so I could recommend it to everyone for a longer time!
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That’s The Way The Mop Flaps is on at the 2025 Melbourne International Comedy Festival between the 31st March and 5th April. For tickets and more info, click here.