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drinks Monday 4 August 08
Funny Women
Verdict: Comedy
Funny Women in 2005 features a series of comedy nights at Lowdown At The Albany; other events elsewhere; and a set of competition nights round the UK leading to the Funny Women Awards Final on Monday 4 July 05 at The Comedy Store. For details of all events see Funny Women.
Tonight's comedy is MCd by Ayesha Hazarika and headlined by Shazia Mirza - with performances from (alpha order) Bridget Christie, Anna Crilly, Kerry Godliman (as Natasha Hassle), Anna Keirle, Janice Phayre. There's an award presentation to producer Lynne Parker.
Delightful Ayesha Hazarika describes herself as looking like a cross between Greek diva Nana Mouskouri and Felicity Kendall. She MCs with a light touch, gentle warmth - and some engagingly filthy material.
Headliner Shazia Mirza's confidence and stage-identity seem to have been transformed by working with director Toni Arthur-Hay at Edinburgh 04. Shazia Mirza looks fabulous - a profoundly beautiful woman, with a powerful face that emphasises her strong, increasingly dangerous material. She is beginning now to look and act like a born cabaret performer - an arena that has stretched from Weimar Kabaret to Lenny Bruce - and beyond. There's subtle stuff tonight about Black people and white people's perceptions; and high-risk seemingly off-the-cuff remarks about Jews that push the boundary - some of the audience look away in embarrassment.
With a Labour Government Minister, Rt Hon Ms Hazel Blears, announcing on Wednesday 2 March 05 that '...some of our counter-terrorism powers will be disproportionately experienced by the Muslim community' (http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,12780,1428402,00.html); and a Labour Government bringing in new laws that comedy actor Rowan Atkinson characterises as anti-comedy legislation, Shazia Mirza could be the first performer to be lead away in chains. A Labour Government? Yes, it's official - irony is dead.
Bridget Christie delivers very funny material about serial killers, and her Gloucester background. Her themes over the last year have become steadily darker, and it's an intriguing trend.
Tonight's highlight is the startling Anna Crilly - an unusual and original performer. A pretty flaxen-haired woman of rugged build who'd star easily in a remake of The Land Girls, her stories of a farming upbringing carry conviction. But where she's leading isn't taught at Cirencester Agricultural College. It's unsettling material, with potato friends, footloose boyfriends, cattle grids - and a walk-on role for Mr Jellyfish. Anna Crilly is able to stand back from the audience and play with expectations. She doesn't rush, and gives the impression of ambling in a leisurely way through her set, trampling logic underfoot and revealing surprises. It's intriguing comedy from a performer of subtlety, grace - and charisma.
Kerry Godliman plays Natasha Hassle - wrapped in anorak and distributing pamphlets. It's an interesting development from a talented standup who had a good showing at Edinburgh 04.
Anna Keirle gives a set based on a childhood in Cornwall - there are surprises. It's an entertaining piece from a stand-up able to create engaging personal warmth.
Janice Phayre's off to Melbourne International Comedy Festival at the weekend co-starring in her Edinburgh 04 show FreeDumb. A highly-talented theatrical and comedy actress as well as stand-up, it's the latter on show tonight. There's a gentleness underpinning Janice Phayre's on-stage performance that provides a soft landing for the extremes. With her ability to switch from sharing quiet confidences about orgasms to manic impersonations of Irish travellers (she's Irish) celebrating St Patrick's Day (today), there are no dull moments.
After the performance, Funny Women producer Lynne Parker is presented with Fringe Report Award 2005 - Best Producer. Details are here.
Company Credits: Sponsor: Babycham. Technical Operation - Venue Staff. Producer - Lynne Parker. Promoter - Christian Knowles (CKP).
END
John Park
reviewed Tuesday 17 March 05 / Lowdown At The Albany
(c) Fringe Report 2005
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2008
