Some Fringe shows lean on glitz, lights, and polish. Samantha Day goes the other way — with a lo-fi, almost game-show format that pits the “immatures” against the “matures” in a battle over life’s tiniest irritations. And it works a treat.

Day sets the scene with sharp opening barbs before laying out the premise: work through the nation’s greatest hits of gripes, see what grinds people’s teeth, and let the audience decide. It gets competitive, there are real moments of tension, and the unpredictability of a live crowd keeps the stakes high.

The complaints themselves are comedy gold. Apostrophes gone wrong spark righteous fury. Spam callers become a delightful running thread. Yellow stickers in supermarkets cause unexpected chaos. Buying online spirals into farce. And when Gregg Wallace inevitably appears in the firing line, the room erupts.

Day herself is the real secret sauce — warm, witty, and a natural with the crowd. She has that knack of making everyone feel part of the game, never punching down, always encouraging the silliness. What could have been a throwaway gimmick becomes, in her hands, a charming hour of collective catharsis.

It’s low-key, lo-fi, and unashamedly fun. Proof that sometimes all you need for a successful Fringe show is a clever idea, a few good props, and a performer with the charm to hold it all together.

****

Reviewed by Steve H

Venue : Voodoo Rooms

Time 20.45

Until date 24th Aug