Naomi Grossman, of American Horror Story fame, is ambitious in what she wants to achieve with her hour and fifteen-minute show; she is essentially attempting to distil her entire life story into a digestible slice of comedic storytelling and performance – no small feat. But, in a long journey, complete with a revolving cast of characters, structured plot developments, and lessons to be learned, she pulls it off. Despite a longer-than-average show, Grossman holds her enraptured audience in the palm of her hand throughout.
She begins in her early life. A straight-edged, valedictorian child, Grossman never doubted her ability to make it right to the very top. Everything went her way – she was a star – surely adult life would follow suit. The rest of Naomi’s tumultuous existence (so far) then plays out before your eyes; with an infectious vitality and thoughtful turn-of-phrase, Naomi paints a lucid picture of what happens when dreams collide with crushing reality. She struggles for so long but finally makes it in the big time, but that’s only the beginning of her problems. It’s a brilliantly engaging tale of fame, intrepid love, and Jacobean tragedy.
There are issues, however – a time-loop red graphic which plays in the background for the entire show is somewhat distracting, and many of the jokes are in this distinctly American brand of loud, simplistic comedy, which may not be to everybody’s taste – but Grossman’s ability to command a space and make an hour and a quarter simply fly by is impossible to disregard. This is a seriously impressive show, and not just for the American Horror Story faithful.
Naomi Grossman: American Whore Story, 21.00, Gilded Balloon, until August 26
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/naomi-grossman-american-whore-story