One Mississippi
“Good evening! Hello! I have cancer! How are you?” While she wasn’t exactly hiding, the blunt opening to Tig Notaro’s August 2012 stand-up set at the Largo in LA is what put her on our collective radar. In the face of personal tragedy that included (but wasn’t limited to) a cancer diagnosis, a breakup and the death of her mother, she let it all hang out in a raw onstage moment that has continued to inform her career to this day. From that material, she put together the semi-autobiographical show One Mississippi, which weaves her deadpan one-liners and clever comedic writing with a character-driven plot that, in a Sliding Doors-esque setup, posits what might have taken place had she moved back home after her mother’s death. As with any personal drama, the show devotes time to Tig’s romantic relationships, and the Southern setting provides ample fodder, since people living in New York City and LA don’t often get asked to “pray the gay away.” The follow-up to One Mississippi’s highly praised first season premiered on Amazon Prime in September, perfect and ready for a weekend binge.
One Mississippi is available to stream on Amazon Prime.
