Missing the 2024 Fringe due to the small inconvenience of a stroke doesn’t dull Cat’s brilliance one bit. Her hour long stand up/ cabaret routine is polished as Cat proves that she definitely isn’t a ‘normal girl’. With an amber weather warning threatening cancellation, I’m relieved the show goes ahead.
Cat doesn’t come alone, she is armed with a talented pianist, sparkly black dress and microphone, the stand-up/cabaret set – part comedy, part musical tells her story of being diagnosed with a hole in her heart. With her vocal range, she could easily make it as a singer, thankfully for us, she chooses comedy and fuses the two. Her pianist matches the energy, keeping up with her Broadway-like songs – all packed with humorous camp storytelling.
She hypes up the packed Tuesday crowd, pokes fun at Scotland’s hurricane panic, and recounts her constant migraines. Her bubbly, unmistakably American charm keeps the pace snappy and the laughs coming. It’s genuinely disappointing when the show ends as the hour goes so fast.
By the finale, she has the audience in the palm of her hand, everyone laughing, clapping, and wishing the hour lasted longer.
Cat Cohen: Broad Strokes, Pleasance Courtyard (Pleasance One), 21:00,
Until Aug 24 (not 12th, 13th and 19th)
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/cat-cohen-broad-strokes
