Comedian Cat Cohen’s new show, “Cat Cohen: Broad Strokes,” delves into a mix of personal revelation and theatrical performance as she navigates themes of illness, identity, and self-perception. Directed by Alex Timbers, the production marks a departure from Cohen’s previous stripped-down cabaret style, embracing a more elaborate, at times chaotic, theatrical presentation at the Lucille Lortel Theater in New York.

Central to the show is Cohen’s candid discussion of having a stroke at the age of 30, an event she introduces with a blend of dark humor and irony. She characterizes the stroke as a disruptive, almost avant-garde moment—“disrupting the industry,” in her words—while exploring the deeper insecurities it unearthed. Specifically, she grapples with a persistent self-doubt fueled by being labeled “a normal girl” by a casting director, an insecurity that contrasts starkly with the expectations of a showbiz persona. This tension between ordinariness and performance underpins much of the show’s narrative.

Cohen’s work follows a lineage of comedians such as Cole Escola and Jacqueline Novak, who have similarly used the Lucille Lortel’s stage to explore more structured and thematic content. “Broad Strokes” experiments with tone and pacing, presenting a fast-moving sequence of restorative humor and darker, more introspective moments. Cohen acts as a kind of attentive host, frequently engaging the audience to balance the gravitas of her topics with levity, often diffusing heavy subjects like trauma and illness through comic timing and sound effects.

The show also leans heavily into music, a notable aspect of Cohen’s artistic strengths. She performs a range of original songs blending humor and sentimentality, spanning from upbeat numbers to more emotionally resonant pieces. One highlight is “Hypochondriac’s Anthem,” which frames anxiety about health as both a source of self-doubt and unexpected validation. Another older song, “Upstate,” reflects on the feeling of ordinariness with a plaintive tone that contrasts with the show’s more frenetic energy.

While the production is ambitious, the multiplicity of styles and themes can make it feel somewhat overstuffed and less intimate than some of Cohen’s earlier, more pared-down performances. Critics note that the show revisits familiar motifs, such as questions of normalcy and self-worth, rather than fully breaking new thematic ground. Nevertheless, Cohen’s charisma and comedic skill remain front and center, with particular praise for her ability to find humor in linguistic quirks and physical mannerisms, exemplified by a memorable bit where she tries—and fails—to suppress an eye-roll, transforming it into an intentional pose.

Overall, “Cat Cohen: Broad Strokes” presents a dynamic mix of theatrical flair and personal storytelling, capturing a performer navigating the complexities of youth, health challenges, and the search for identity within the entertainment industry.