one4review | On 20, Aug 2026

There can be no doubt that Elf Lyons has a whole range of talent at her disposal. I first saw her doing straight stand up almost 20 years ago on a shared bill, through a myriad of award winning solo shows in the intervening years each one showcasing the talents she has in her armoury, and does she have a lot of them.
The constant sold-out signs are in evidence once more for her latest offering as Lyons leads the audience through episodes of her life, both personal and professional in a mixture of styles, genres, and storytelling.
There are laughs as well as her clowning and absurdist abilities, contrast with the almost film noire opening, bananas used as phones for example, the use of lip-syncing, to audio tracks, a ‘volunteer’ audience reading a script, as the romantic tragedy and her subsequent Thailand trip are intwined, brief callbacks her shows of previous years added to the mixture, not to mention opera. And who says you can’t have a bouncy castle at a wedding anyway?
I found it a little too much, but I was in the minority. The standing ovation she got at the conclusion, was a testament to an artist who doesn’t conform to the norm with her creations, but then there is obviously a huge following for her and her styles. One can never be surprised when Elf is on stage.
****
Reviewed by Geoff
Pleasance Beyond
21.20 to 22.20
Until August 30th