Walking in, Betty is doing an interpretive dance, scantily clad, a fitting phrase as her outfit reminds me of medieval armour. What I didn’t know is that the cladding comes off like magnetic covers, revealing everything. In fairness, there is a warning before entering about the nature of this show, including nudity and scenes of a sexual nature. I did not know that scenes of a sexual nature meant masturbation.
Yes, just five minutes into the show, Betty “pleases herself” in front of the audience to release her past traumas. There are warnings beforehand to give anyone enough time to leave; however, the atmosphere in there gives you a sense that leaving puts you in danger of being an “Enemy of Grooviness”.
When I’m not getting seriously uncomfortable (and to reiterate, I seem to be the only one uncomfortable), most of Betty’s topics are exceptionally hard-hitting. She mentions the death of a loved one and her experience with domestic violence and the court systems that labelled her as a “woman scorned”.
What most people do in private is what Betty seems to do proudly on stage. This includes sex, stripping/changing, washing herself, and releasing her emotions. In contrast, her assistant of the evening, Craig, was stone-cold serious as they slapped the bass as well as Betty’s bum – A person of few words.
To be totally transparent, it is not for me. The show comes across as unconventional, pretentious at times and disturbing (I class eating human faeces, fake or not, as disturbing); however, it definitely proves the old adage that the Fringe has something for everyone.
Betty Grumble’s Enemies of Grooviness Eat Sh!t 21.15, Assembly Roxy, until August 24
https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/betty-grumble-s-enemies-of-grooviness-eat-sh-t
