Writer: Síomha Hennessy
Síomha Hennessy’s show is very generous. In one musical comedy package, she covers almost her entire life, quite a bit of her family history, some history of Ireland, the side effects of antidepressants, and the ins and outs of her inadvisable attachments to various emotionally unavailable men. She even invites us into her womb!
Hennessy almost literally bounces off the walls during The Coil’s Lament, and has her audience onside from the moment she sashays from behind the curtain. We take a meandering stroll through life and love with her, punctuated by musical numbers – there is an Irish folk song about skips, the fabulous Coil’s Lament, and a jaunty riff about maladaptive daydreaming, among others. She delivers her stand-up routines with gusto and the audience interaction is enjoyably generous.
Just as the show might begin to feel stagnant, Hennessy switches it up and offers us something more emotional, exploring the feeling of finding herself “unexpectedly un-famous” at 35, in a creative industry which is only really “cute when you’re eighteen”. This is what makes up the real heart of the performance, and Hennessy’s honesty feels like a treat.
Although the show is consistently amusing, some material feels stale – Hennessy’s starting spiel about sex and Taylor Swift, and her riffing on the concept of the ‘foster girlfriend’, for example, don’t offer anything that can’t be found on TikTok. Perhaps it is because I am so squarely part of the show’s niche target market that the content seems recycled, though; it is well-received by her audience, so it clearly hasn’t lost its Fringe currency just yet. Hennessy’s songs are the definite highlight, and could have been developed and lengthened. It’s a shame that they occupy less space in the show than the spoken routines, given that they are so much more creative.
The Coil’s Lament is perfectly matched to its early-evening time slot; even if Hennessy plays it safe in parts, it’s a guaranteed giggle and a slick, sparky start to the night. This is one for the gals (and, says Hennessy, the allies)!
Runs until 27 August 2023 | Image: Contributed
The Reviews Hub Score
Plenty of giggles
