FESTIVAL COMEDY | Reviews
LUCY PEARMAN: FRUIT LOOP Outlandish and absurd worm-based narrative ●●●●●
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Returning with a new show following her Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer nomination last year, Lucy Pearman is quickly becoming the go-to comic for all things weird, wonderful and fruit’n’veg related. Fruit Loop requires you to use your imagination, with hand puppets doubling as confused worms while audience members take on starring roles in Pearman’s outlandish narrative.
She makes use of some absurd costumes and props plus her signature character-based style to tell the story of a worm that has misunderstood its entire existence. Avoiding the evil Early Bird while trying to learn how to fly, our little worm friend goes through an identity crisis which ultimately leads to an epiphany. Like 2017’s Maid of Cabbage, Pearman’s new hour puts the focus on design elements which are purposely silly and low-budget in order to unleash the chaos.
With Pearman taking on the role of a worm, a bird and various pieces of fruit among others, she accentuates her natural talent at character comedy, intertwining various elements of the plot to draw attention towards her charisma as a performer. One particular highlight is Pearman’s grape character, for which she dons a giant lumpy green outfit and clip-on moustache, talking to the audience in an accent that you won’t be able to place with any real conviction. The show moves along quickly but the fast-paced nature of the narrative connects the audience in a way that keeps the energy high and the confusion just at the right level. Spending an hour in Pearman’s world is a true delight and one
that you’ll be glad to have left the hubbub of the Fringe for. If you’re after a one-woman comedy show about a little worm on a journey of self-discovery, Lucy Pearman’s Fruit Loop is undoubtedly the place to be. (Arusa Qureshi) ■ Monkey Barrel, until 27 Aug (not 15), 6.30pm, £6 in advance or donations at the venue.
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KEN CHENG: BEST DAD EVER Thought-provoking tale of an untold family history ●●●●●
HELEN LEDERER: I MIGHT AS WELL SAY IT Pacey chit-chat about life in entertainment ●●●●● GLENN MOORE: GLENN GLENN GLENN, HOW DO YOU LIKE IT, HOW DO YOU LIKE IT Quirky and personable hour ●●●●●
What at first might look like just another silly Fringe title takes on a whole load of import as the secret family history of Ken Cheng is laid out before us. At the age of 27, this Cambridge lad is a manchild in many ways: he loves cereal without milk and has an iron-like attachment to objects from his childhood. He also now has a solid sense of his own worth, given that he can say things like ‘I see phrases differently from other people’ without even slightly blushing. The winner of last year’s Dave Joke of the Fringe Award proposes the line that he believes will make him victorious two years’ running: it’s deliberately and hilariously not a contender. With a mum who is a hoarder and a dad whose pronouncements on social media could do with coaching, we hear about how his show title came about via a Toblerone campaign.
Meanwhile, he muses on Pixar fathers, recalls an encounter with ‘avant-garde racism’, and shows off the curious things he’s discovered while considering numbers and mathematics. A winning stage cocktail of arrogance and vulnerability, Ken Cheng has produced a thought-provoking and occasionally awkward tale of secrets and lies. (Brian Donaldson) ■ Bedlam Theatre, until 26 Aug (not 15), 3.30pm, £10 (£8).
52 THE LIST FESTIVAL 15–27 Aug 2018
The woman famous for Ab Fab, Celebrity Big Brother and various other reality and acting spots makes her stand-up comeback at this year’s Fringe. Helen Lederer’s hour is one filled with talk about getting older, the menopause, HRT, dry vaginas and gastric bands. There are also jokes about her time on Celebrity Big Brother (all the reality stars were apparently on medication for psychotic disorders), doing the reality TV diving show Splash! with Tom Daley and getting fired from Loose Women. Throughout the set, Lederer occasionally forgets where she is, taking cheeky looks at her script and asking the audience to remember for her: it isn’t clear whether this is part of the set or she indeed just can’t remember. However, she almost revels in this and it soon becomes endearing rather than annoying.
Quick punchlines and cheeky add-ons to the end
of her jokes give a pacey feel to the bletherings about her life and it becomes a revealing insight into the life of someone who has been in the entertainment industry for a long time. And she is fearlessly not going anywhere. (Katharine Gemmell) ■ Underbelly Bristo Square, until 25 Aug, 5.05pm, £10.50–£11.50 (£9.50–£10.50).
Glenn Moore offers a stunningly well-crafted show, with fantastic delivery and admirable writing. The premise lies in his application to be selected as one of the first civilians on Mars. The real story, however, is simple: it’s the start and eventual end of a recent relationship, a move to London, and his growth into a supposed, self-declared ‘honest comedian’.
Content-wise, Moore’s show is unremarkable in many ways, which says a lot about his fantastic use of call-backs and set-ups. Overall, the punchline and gag rate is stupendously high with the wonderful comedy writing only heightened by a committed, entertaining delivery. Moore is a quirky, personable goof who is unafraid to be so on stage.
At times, it feels as though he labours his underlying
point around honesty within the show, although this concern is somewhat assuaged with his clever final material. An indisputable rising star, Moore deserves to reach the top of the comedy circuit, and fast. It’s refreshing to witness a young performer play so effectively with framing, plot and narrative. (Kenza Marland) ■ Just the Tonic at The Tron, until 26 Aug, 6.20pm, £6 (£5) in advance or donations at the venue.