By: Ozzy Algar
Director: Tanika Lay-Meachen
A gorgeously evocative, otherworldly debut hour from a rising star.
Ozzy Algar takes us to the windswept shores of the Isle of Wight, spinning fresh from the laundry drum tales of local people and loosely true legends. From myths and madness, to steaming hot gossip. They’ll air their dirty laundry for our entertainment.
The protagonist, Pet, is a wayward, white-faced washerwoman. They’ll strip the audience of their socks with promise of a service wash, then get busy with what we actually came for – the word on the street.
It’s in this nattering that we see Algar really shine. The stories and legends they share of local people ring true of the sorts of folk you meet in formerly glorious seaside resorts. Algar is an extraordinary storyteller, their words paint a picture beyond that of any artist. After a round of shanties, we can almost hear the sea.
Pet is both strikingly spooky and incredibly familiar. If you squint, there’s a very obvious eau de Dot Cotton on show here, headscarf and all. Goodness knows what the Eastenders icon would make of Gaulier and his clowns. Particularly astonishing, then, when mid-way through the show, Algar sheds their coat for a simple-yet-stunning transformation, standing before us, clad in lace and frills, as a cabaret star. A wartime darling. A starlet. Algar’s singing is truly beautiful, unexpected and really sets the scene here.
Described as a ‘dark solo comedy’, if we had one criticism for this almost immaculate show, it’s that there are points which feel a little light on laughs for a show marketed in this way. Algar has a natural humour in the mannerisms and spirit of this character, but the words don’t always lend themselves to comedy. It’s the small details that bring a spontaneous joy. Nobody can fail to chuckle when she seizes an audience member with a Cornetto-emblazoned shirt and declares his polyester-clad pecs as ‘boyfriend material’. Or when she demands an audience member serve as a washing line pole. It’s inspired audience interaction at play.
Overall, is this show closer to the most sensational storytelling you’ll ever have the chance to see, or a sure-to-be-award-winning solo play? Possibly. A momentary observation that they shouldn’t trifle themselves with too much, Algar will be a sure-fire success either way, but something to ponder, perhaps. Algar is certainly an amazing actor.
After the show, this reviewer has an immediate urge to book a trip to the Isle of Wight, preferably in the drizzle. Such is the essence that Algar conveys in this cosy hour in the Speed Queen, the last remaining launderette on the Isle of Wight. If there’s a surge of holidaymakers on the Wightlink this winter, they know who they have to thank. This show was a runner-up in the coveted Brighton Fringe Luke Rollason Memorial Bursary 2025. We can see why everyone’s favourite jester chose it for a moment in the spotlight.
Ozzy Algar: Speed Queen is an outstanding ode to the faded glamour of English seaside resorts, and the characters you’ll find there. Sit down for a story or two with Pet, and you’ll soon be swept away with them too. Simply sensational.
Reviewed on 1 June 2025.
