Director: Tabitha Gibb
Composer/Lyricist: Molly O’Gorman
A musical that can warm and break your heart moment to moment, Can’t Talk Right Now is a marvellous exhibition of drama, comedy, and music, all performed in the 45-minute wait for a potentially life-changing phone call.
As Aggy (Jen Cassidy) waits to hear whether she may only have a few weeks to live, she reflects on her regrets and sets out her plan to make things right, if only in her head. The backdrop of anticipation is an ever-present pressure that carries an unbroken monologue of lyrics, which transition seamlessly between Aggy’s innermost thoughts, frequent calls from her boyfriend, John, and the story she tells herself she’s going to write one day. Experienced in real time, the pacing feels natural and unrushed, and Molly O’Gorman’s lyrics tell the story in such a way that the details of emotion aren’t lost in the exposition and introduction of new themes and concepts as the show progresses.
As a solo performer, Jen Cassidy brings Aggy to life with an exceptional performance, balancing emotional extremes with the humility and self-doubt that make the human experience as believable as it is entertaining. Between the humour, there are moments of stillness and contemplation that provide a stark contrast, but Cassidy’s energy and ability to captivate an audience are never lost.
Under Tabitha Gibb’s direction, Can’t Talk Right Now tells a compelling, yet simple, story of a woman’s past, present, and a tentative future. To spend 45 minutes with a single character in a single location is a challenging concept, but Gibb directs the show’s pace, purpose, and its overall journey around the human condition with tenderness and care, placing the humour where it’s welcome, and letting the moments of vulnerability be experienced with equal attention.
Can’t Talk Right Now is an exceptional piece of fringe theatre, in both conception and delivery, and while it is deserving of a full production, it certainly doesn’t need it to capture its audience’s hearts.
Reviewed on 3 August 2025 and then at The Space on the Miles, Edinburgh Fringe 11-16 August 2025
Camden Fringe runs until 24 August 2025
