one4review | On 07, Aug 2024

Chelsea Birkby is so warm and charming, that it is unfortunate that her
show feels less like comedy than a lecture from a enthusiastic but
bemused newly qualified academic. She is positive and endearing, but
her show seems to not hang together terribly well, possibly because the
underlying theme hinges on philosophy but isn’t yet fully formed.

Right at the top she mentions being bipolar, then goes into TikTok
terminology that most of the audience were previously unaware of, before
talking about therapy, sexting and mindful sex. Moving on from the
hindquarters of Stubbs’ horse painting in the National Gallery, Chelsea
weaves her way towards objects of desire that you want to be and
sometimes don’t want to be, touches on absurdism, before reaching
mindfulness.

In the past Chelsea has won an award or two, and that shows because she
is clearly on top of delivery and in control of her material, and her
audience appeared content. There are laughs, often at points of
recognition, and people did generally seem to be thoughtfully enjoying
themselves, but the promised “meditation on lust for life” never quite
happened.

So to those who find some comedy tedious and banal, Chelsea’s relaxing
show could be just the gem they had been hoping for. Indeed Chelsea’s
enthusiasm and excellent delivery of a topic that is quite niche is
reminiscent of early Nathalie Haynes which will prove quite a buzz for
some.

***1/2

Reviewed by HJ
Just Out Of The Box, Just The Tonic at the Caves

21:20 to 25 Aug (not 12th)