ALL THE RAGE
Written, Directed, and Performed by Vanessa Peruda
Presented by the New York City Fringe Festival
Performance Dates: April 4, 5, 12 & 14, 2026
Why, when we see furious women, do we respond with judgment or laughter?
All the Rage, written and performed by Colombian-American comedian Vanessa Peruda, is loud, chaotic, and unapologetically bold from the moment it begins. Entering with a crop in hand, Peruda storms the stage yelling before, in a sudden burst of energy, slipping and breaking her heel almost immediately. The moment is unexpected and undeniably fun, setting the tone for a performance that refuses to hold back. She greets the audience with, “welcome, bitches, allies, gays and theys,” and introduces herself as “not certified in anything—but an angry bitch.”
Peruda commands the room with a presence that feels unmistakably modern—unfiltered, expressive, and fully in control of her voice. The audience meets her there, energized from the start.
Framed loosely as an “anger management” experience, the piece expands into an exploration of women’s anger—its history, its suppression, and the discomfort it provokes. Peruda pushes further, asking: why are women taught to suppress their anger in the first place?
Her use of projections is sharp, pairing images of women with biting, hilarious commentary that lands. Though a solo performance, the show is supported by dynamic production—wigs, glasses, costume changes, lighting, and seamless transitions create a fully realized theatrical experience. She moves fluidly between stand-up, character work—even playing every single Kardashian in a historical critique—and satire, skewering systems built entirely by men. Through a range of characters—a social media streamer inundated with misogynistic comments, a doctor diagnosing women with “hysteria,” and a dating game douchebag—Peruda blends comedy, critique, and social commentary seamlessly. These moments are absurd, pointed, and unsettling, exposing how deeply ingrained these dynamics are. Lines like, “How can we blame Eve for eating the apple? Bitch was hungry,” land with humor while still carrying weight.
What is particularly striking is how mindful the piece is in its scope. Peruda incorporates real-world context, noting that meaningful medical research on women did not begin until the late 20th century—an observation that not only surprises, but underscores the educational value of the work. I appreciated that the piece does not shy away from informing its audience, balancing entertainment with substantive insight. She also makes a clear effort to include an intersectional perspective, acknowledging that women’s experiences are not universal and ensuring that Black and Brown women are part of the conversation. That inclusion feels intentional and necessary, reinforcing that this is a broader dialogue—one that must hold multiple lived experiences at once.
Audience participation punctuates the experience, most notably through collective scream breaks that transform the space into something visceral and communal. In that release, there is something unexpectedly healing—a moment where anger is not suppressed or judged, but shared.
But the piece is not only comedic—it is also deeply human. At one point, Peruda encourages the audience to call out what is making them angry. When the room hesitates, she begins naming injustices herself—her voice catching, her composure slipping—as she speaks about the state of the world. The moment feels raw and unfiltered. She nearly loses it, and I found myself right there with her. It is a stark shift from humor into something more vulnerable, a reminder of how much there is to be angry about. In that moment, the performance becomes something else entirely: a shared emotional space. It is a powerful example of what theatre can do—create community, hold truth, and make room for collective feeling.
What emerges is not just a performance, but a toolkit. Peruda reframes anger as protective—a response to injustice—and offers ways to reclaim it, from humor to what she calls “laughtivism”: “When you laugh at the bitch, you flip the script and he ain’t shit.”
All the Rage is energizing, emotional, and deeply affirming. It lingers—provocative, cathartic, and necessary. It deserves a life far beyond the NYC Fringe.
Review by Penelope Deen.
Published by Theatre Beyond Broadway on April 19, 2026. All rights reserved.
