Writer: Alice Mogridge
Director: Sarah Newton
Alice Mogridge’s 6ft (and) Under is fresh, feisty and funny, everything you’d hope for in a fringe production (it’s one of the opening shows of the 2024 Camden Fringe). It’s performed by a great trio of women – Mogridge herself with Catherine Maitland and Claire Fairman. Plus there’s Tom Wilcox, playing the put-upon Eric and a zombie.
The plot is satisfyingly daft. Two singletons, Hannah and Abby are being interviewed by the obnoxious Brigitte Mount-Batten for a documentary about modern dating. The pair’s experience of dating apps has been disastrous. One bloke seemed promising until he reveals his thing is touching kids – he’s not a paedophile, Hannah insists – he just likes touching their heads. What about the one who accuses Hannah (or is it Abby?) of being a ‘lasagne slut’? It gets worse. Mogridge’s writing takes risks, but that’s part of her undoubted talent. She has an unerring sense of speed and sure-footedness, zinger after zinger landing triumphantly. You’ll find you’re laughing all the way through.
Brigitte Mount-Batten is a fabulous comic creation – a minor TV personality inflated by her monstrous ego and steely determination to snatch the next opportunity. Claire Fairman is a joy to watch, imperiously summoning the put-upon Eric to fetch her water and fan her as she overheats. She is all overblown charisma to the camera, but bored and discontent when it’s not on her. And she has a dark past. What exactly did she do to offend Mary Berry?
All this would make a pleasing sitcom, but there’s more, much more to come. There’s sudden news of a dreadful virus from France which turns people into zombies. And guess who is sent out on yet another errand and encounters on the stairs a date-cum-foot-fetishist, newly returned from Paris? Eric’s sinister roars remind us of his presence while the three women check on their wine supply as they settle in for another lockdown. And it’s then Brigitte (not Bridget – Brigitte, she insists) has a great idea for a new podcast and further fun ensues.
Slickly directed by Sarah Newton, 6ft and Under is enormous fun and has the potential for a longer run.
Runs until 9 August 2024
Camden Fringe runs until 25 August 2024
