Episode 4: Abby Wambaugh
Vulnerability, Comedy and Imagining a Better World
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What happens when honesty becomes risky and how do we care for ourselves and others when we tell the truth?
In this episode of The Bardo Podcast, comedian Marc Salmon is joined by writer, performer, and comedian Abby Wambaugh for a wide-ranging conversation about vulnerability, creativity, and honesty in performance. They explore contemporary clowning, sincerity, trauma, and responsibility, with Abby reflecting on how to make work that risks truth while staying ethical and grounded.
Abby discusses their acclaimed show The First 3 Minutes of 17 Shows, produced by Hannah Gadsby, alongside a broader conversation about humour and social change, the ethics of openness on stage, and how imagination can open new ways of relating to ourselves, audiences, and the world around us.
Topics include:
Vulnerability on stage and the risks of sincerity
Honesty, care, and responsibility in performance
Contemporary clowning and attention
When openness becomes unsafe
Creativity as compulsion rather than performance
Metaphor, repetition, and “rats in the wall”
Comedy, compassion, and imagination
Guest
Abby Wambaugh is a multi award-winning American comedian, writer, and improviser who lives in Copenhagen and regularly performs in the UK.
Abby debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2024, winning Best Newcomer at the Jones ISH Comedy Awards, Best Show at the European Comedy Awards, and Best Comedy at the Theatre Weekly Fringe Awards. They were also nominated for Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Newcomer, Comedian’s Choice Best Newcomer, NextUp’s Biggest Award in Comedy, and Best Newcomer at the 2025 Chortle Awards.
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Music by Marc Salmon and Robert Fuller
Artwork by Zoe Brownstone - Check out her special here
