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Ava Vidal: Responsible
Verdict: A sense of honesty
Edinburgh 06 - Pleasance Courtyard - August 06 - 22:50 (1:00)
The very tall Ava Vidal makes quite an entrance - but beyond that, no comment on her looks. She says she hates that from reviewers, and gets some good laughs out of why.
She kicks off talking about her children staying with her in Edinburgh last week, and how tiring that was. This feels very genuine, probably newish material, if the long pauses are anything to go by. Not that it's bad - she gets some well-deserved laughs.
There are some great drink-and-drug addled tales of earlier irresponsibility, but it doesn’t feel like professional comedy - just pub one-upmanship. It's possible that anyone can do 'There was this one time...' stories.
A lovely line on how to 'slag about' without getting a reputation gets the show back on track, and is a surprising lead into material on abuse. This section works by keeping the humour and pathos well-balanced - with plenty of laughs - but never forgetting the potential pain.
A sense of honesty allows her to get away with trite ideas - such as the fact of having to become happy with the way one looks.
Ava Vidal does appear to find it difficult to finish the phrase 'it's just like...' - but she doesn't have any trouble keeping the audience emotionally involved - and laughing.
Female comics rarely show audiences their boobs, let alone offer to share them. But apparently Ava Vidal's BHS jelly breast sweeties are running short, so no one gets to try them. Shame.
Audibility slips a little when she comes off-mike in order to pick up a prop. After a check on time, which implies that, as an accomplished stand-up, she has plenty more material, and can take a slightly relaxed approach of using what material suits that night's audience best, she finishes on her children's lists of why she isn't responsible. The idea that only their opinions really matter is a lovely concept, but it is let down by the lists. The assumption is that the lists actually are the children's, but for a finale, there's a need for more gags.
Thankfully, there's a great final line about parents hitting children, so the show ends high.
Cast Credits: Ava Vidal
Company Credits:
Writer / Director - Ava Vidal. Technical Support - Kirsty Menzies. Producer - It's Alright For Some.
END
(c) Gill Smith 2006
reviewed Tuesday 15 August 06 / Pleasance Courtyard
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2009
