As a self-proclaimed “soup du jour”, actress Juliet Cowan, who is making her stand up debut, reflects on her teenage years from her current 50-year-old perspective.
Growing up, Cowan’s biggest fear was that she would be sent to the virgin section of heaven, with all the babies and Nikola Tesla, after she died in a nuclear attack. Cowan describes a stressful fantasy of quickly losing it in four minutes, after the warning siren bellows through her high school and she grabs the least disgusting boy to lose her virginity to right there in front of everyone.
Dangling from the neck by a piece of string, is a doll of ‘The Thing’ from Fantastic Four. This is Cowan’s physical representation of the patriarchy. She calls back to the doll throughout the show, until he’s eventually beheaded, with Cowan saying it doesn’t matter how the patriarchy makes you feel, you can’t let it win.
Cowan confesses a fear as she grew up, about whether people would find her interesting. Therefore, Cowan teaches herself Greek and Latin just to be different and help make her stand out at parties.
As enjoyable as elements are, the show as a whole feels rushed and incomplete. But Cowan is a likeable performer and her description of how she felt as an insecure teenager is something we can all relate to.
Juliet Cowan: Fuck Off And Leave Me Alone, 19:00, Pleasance Dome – Jack Dome, Aug 6-11, 13-25
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/juliet-cowan-f-ck-off-and-leave-me-alone
