Ada Campe’s raunchy, cabaret themed comedy hour is a unique, sneakily clever rollercoaster ride. Featuring magic tricks, more traditional standup, sprawling storytelling and lavish musical numbers, Campe changes pace again and again. You never quite know what to expect from section to section. It’s all told with a fuzzy, raspy drawl which draws you in from the start; Campe’s inflections envelop you and take you on a singular experience of wonder and side-splitting comedy.
The overarching theme is a tale about her journey in showbusiness and her obsession from a young age of taking to the stage; from portraying a strawberry at a fair to being a magician’s assistant, Campe draws from her entire career for her show; and you can see the influences play out before your eyes in her unique style. Despite the flamboyance of her mannerisms, outfit, makeup and stage design, her material also draws from the everyday and mundane as much as it draws from cabaret; from tales and one-liners about London’s gentrification, youths washing her car, and the precariousness of a comedian’s lifestyle, the juxtaposition of her campness with everyday events is played for hearty laughs throughout.
Her tales do feel slightly drawn out sometimes, but the payoff is always worth it, and her clever wit never suffers even as she gets into some more emotional material towards the end. She will also run off stage for periodic wardrobe changes, which never take too long, but do stall the show’s momentum somewhat and don’t feel altogether worth it. However, these are minor complaints about a singular and fiercely original hour of entertainment.
Ada Campe: Big Duck Energy, 15.00, The Stand, until August 26
The Stand
Until August 26 (excluding the 20th)
15:00
