Bringing some dry Texan humour to an unseasonably wet Camden Fringe is the entertainingly caustic Ashley Barnhill. She proclaims that she no longer wants to be an asshole but no subject is out of bounds in her hour-long set.
She has good reasons for being an asshole if being an asshole means that you are angry and unforgiving. In 2020 while out jogging in L.A. with her boyfriend, Barnhill was hit by a car. Nothing about the accident was her fault; indeed, she was on a pedestrian crossing when it happened. When she fell to the ground the impact was so great that it caused her brain to swell. The surgeons had to replace half of her skull with a titanium plate. She feels a bit like a superhero.
But she doesn’t act like one though. Coming onto stage clutching a can of Liquid Death water, Barnhill initially seems nervous, often glancing down to the floor. Whether these nerves are part of her act is not clear, but soon she relaxes and her confidence grows to the point that she’s looking straight out at the audience, even engaging in some friendly banter with the front row.
A good deal of the first part of Texas Titanium is devoted to the accident. It’s a miracle she survived and it’s a miracle that she can make a joke out of it. She discusses her erotic attraction for her surgeon as well as her attempts to escape the hospital room in which she was confined. She counts herself lucky that no L.A. social media influencer unplugged her life support machine to charge their mobile phone.
It’s not just Californians who come under attack but Texans too and the state’s unofficial motto ‘Don’t mess with Texas.’ Of course, coming from Texas also means she talks about abortion and has a clever one-liner about waiting for six weeks before she delivers the punchline. Some of Barnhill’s jokes about famous and disgraced Americans such as Bill Cosby and American footballer Ray Rice may require a little previous knowledge but Barnhill also has a pop at British men too for their indecisive behaviour when it comes to dating.
Barnhill, may be angry and she may be still a bit of an asshole, but there’s a generosity about her routine too that softens any of the more politically incorrect quips. Some people of course may be offended by her schtick, but the early evening crowd at Angel’s Bill Murray loves her. However, Ashley Barnhill, who often tours with David Chappelle, would be perfect as a late-night headliner in a boozy comedy club where she can be as much of an asshole as she wants to be.
Runs until 12 August 2023 and then at Edinburgh Fringe
Camden Fringe runs until 27 August 2023
The Reviews Hub Score
Whip-smart
