As she walks on stage carrying a box of (white wine) Pinot Grigio, with a full glass in hand, Clare Plested begins her show introducing herself by a fuller name – Clare Louise Anthony Plested.

She says that the name is because of her Catholic background, the name Clare was chosen in honour of St Clare. Louise apparently came from a lack of imagination by her parents. The rogue factor Anthony was picked by Clare Plested herself at her confirmation: – she thought it was cool to choose a boy’s name. She also appreciated that her initials spelt CLAP – displaying both her love for performing in front of an audience and the fact that Catholic schools didn't really explain sexually transmitted diseases.

Clare Plested's show is effectively reliving the build-up to and excitement surrounding her wedding in Las Vegas, which she says took place on the 1 June 2011. As the husband is ginger, long-haired and a carpenter, he is referred throughout at Jesus. Assessing whether she is good enough to wear white at the wedding, Clare Plested marks off columns of her good and bad deeds.

She compares her sinner / saint ratio to the pleasure / pain scenario presented in the (yoghurt manufacturer) Muller Light yoghurt advertisements. She says she was an Irish Catholic (UK town north of London) Watford schoolgirl and is a borderline alcoholic (which gets a mark in the sin column), that box of wine doesn't get used much during the show.

Clare Plested has a very warm, smiley and open delivery. She comes across as intelligent – as demonstrated by her upset that her older sister Anne Marie got a leather jacket when she messed up her (UK school examinations) GCSE exams, but when she aced them, Clare Plested received nothing. Apart from a warning from her father that 'nobody likes a smart arse'.

Her skill as an actress is displayed with her depiction of her easily-pleased mother - who will collapse into hysterical laughter at a birthday card and be drunk from a drop of communion wine. There are interesting characters. Her father Nigel emerges as being cursed with misfortune – which he named Plested’s Luck. This strikes when he is diagnosed with leukaemia shortly after the wedding date is set.

Gemma, one of the bridesmaids, has a staggering ability to misunderstand or misphrase things. - when a house is being worked on, she is told to go round and collect the keys from 'the chippy'. Not realising that is slang for 'carpenter', she drives to a fish and chip shop. One of the best men at the wedding is described as so lecherous he's a borderline sex offender. Despite the chaos, the wedding largely goes well. More than 60 friends and family – including Nigel - make it to Las Vegas. The couple are married outside The Bellagio, a hotel known for its beautiful fountains.

She does indeed wear white - revealed in a spectacular flick of the costume. Having appeared to be in a pair of shorts and a casual top, it seems this was an elaborate disguise for her real wedding dress. The show ends with a slide display of photos from the big day - including a fake Catholic priest paid two hundred US dollars to make it seem as if the wedding lives up to Catholic expectations.

The final denouement brings a very touching end and also highlights how important and how brave it is for Clare Plested to perform this show.

Cast Credits: Clare Plested - Performer.

Company Credits: Writer - Clare Plested. Director - Amanda Wilsher. Technical Operator - Tom Frankland. Producer - uncredited. Company - uncredited. Website - www.clareplested.co.uk.

END

(c) Chandrika Chevli 2011

reviewed Tuesday, 9 August 2011 / Underbelly.Edinburgh, UK

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2012

www.fringereport.com