Now this is a fine thing. All the way from Glasgow (she’s commuting), Susie McCabe comes to the Fringe with her Fred Perry polo shirt and an autobiographical show that takes her (and us) from birth to that form of coming out, and from an age of sexual repression and oppression to sexual inclusion, via soap operas, Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit, Gillian Anderson and Have I Got News For You.
It’s always a thrill to hear an authentic working-class Scottish performer at the Fringe. And fresh from a Scottish tour, McCabe is on top of her game here, combining immaculate stagecraft with bawdy humour as she talks lesbian life, imposter syndrome, her parents’ journey to acceptance and her own days working on the building site. (McCabe may be the only comedian at the Fringe you could trust to put up a shelf.)
Her tales of working in the construction industry are particularly strong in the way they challenge some of the stereotypes associated with working-class men (while confirming others at the same time, it should be said). It’s also a mark of the inclusivity of McCabe’s comic world view. She has time for everyone.
The result is a warm, joyous hour of comedy that celebrates how far we have come in the last 40 years without ever hiding the pain it has cost to get here. In short, Femme Fatality is a mixture of confident storytelling, big laughs and a disco soundtrack. What more could you want from a Fringe show?
Susie McCabe: Femme Fatality
20:35
Assembly George Square Studios (Studio Two), until August 27 (except August 14)
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/susie-mccabe-femme-fatality
