one4review | On 16, Aug 2019

Caroline Mabey is a strong performer in want of much stronger material. Her performance is polished (more impressive given her assertion that she’s on the point of a mid-Fringe breakdown) and she demonstrates both the audacity and empathy that would allow her to pull off any variety of edgy, risqué, controversial, absurd, or impassioned comedy that you care to mention.

Unfortunately, this show doesn’t manage to rise to that potential. Ms Mabey’s not-husband quit his job to retrain as a dog-groomer, and this serves as the central spine of the show, with various other stories and commentary worked around it. This structure works fine, and there’s nothing inherently wrong with the show – though it’s not groundbreaking and it didn’t raise a huge amount of laughter – but it does feel like there’s lots of filler compared with quality show-content.

Highlights include the visual gag with her glasses (which has potential that wasn’t exploited), and the episodic narrative about the bobbing man in the pool, layered with fresh horror every time he appears. Unfortunately, these can’t resuce a personable performer delivering an average show.

Reviewed by Laura

Laughing Horse @ 32 Below
15:50 (until 25th)