By:The Impish Scribe
Reviewer: Sam Johnson
This ex dance music journalist looks to put the world to rights with her infectious impassioned viewpoint of the world; with a couple of music industry anecdotes thrown in, if there is time.
On stage in sparkly gold trousers and somewhat sci-fi shades the Impish Scribe admits in London, where she lives, people often think she is part of the Abba Voyage experience. It’s a gentle and welcoming start to the piece which draws the crowd in and demonstrates the warmth of the performer from the off.
The piece looks to skewer the post truth, nihilistic age that we live in and show a mirror to ourselves. Do we really want to be this way? Traditional targets and modern day bogeymen, such as Farage and Trump are all mentioned as being part of our current quagmire, with our use of social media and the doom scrolling feeding the beast. The Impish Scribe knows the current situation is pretty dire.
The comedian’s mind flits quickly from one topic to another at a dizzying rate. She has a high speed processor and a mountain of clever ideas to express. The thoughts are often interrupted as the performer is totally caught in the moment. She references everything happening in the room, moths floating in front of her, a person briefly hovers at the door and she has a chat with him before returning to her material.
We also learn that the writer’s roots lie in Chile. She tells a couple of interesting stories about how that has shaped her as a person. It feels like more of this material could be mined; it could be a show in itself.
Comedy can be tough in front of a small audience, especially one with British reserve, but Impish Scribe handles the crowd well and has several funny interactions with them throughout. Especially endearing is her chats with three young twenty somethings, who are quite a sweet bunch; something she builds on. She is an inclusive performer which fosters a relaxed and good atmosphere in the room.
Hate Mail is a good collection of ideas and eloquent rants that the Impish Scribe never quite get to the end of. The piece would benefit from a more cohesive thread to latch on to, but she is a friendly and engaging performer well worth watching.
Reviewed On 1st May. Runs to 4th May
