Review: Wicked Wenches, The Stand
Hailing from Yorkshire and claiming to be 46 (she’s clearly younger), Appelby is so loud without amplification she doesn’t need a mic. She also doesn’t need any help to win over an audience and make them laugh.
There is something of the comprehensive school hockey coach about Appelby, a whiff of not being afraid to get muddy. This brusque straightforwardness in her persona gives the sometimes sarcastic, sometimes surreal social commentary she delivers a certain brutality that makes it all the more funny.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdHeadliner Tanyalee Davis is a dwarf, but says it’s OK to call her a midget. The ferociously horny Canadian’s act consists mainly of jokes about being short – of which there are apparently a limitless number – and trying to seduce men in the front row of the audience. This combination generally works out rather well for her.
She walks an uncomfortable line between self-depreciating and freak-show humour, which will make you writhe with laughter or embarrassment depending on how sensitive you are. Davis would seem like less of a novelty act if she strayed into topics other than being a dwarf, even if just for a small part of her set.
Sally-Anne Hayward’s boyfriend snores. The audience also snored last night, but only for about a fifth of her act.
Her falsely sweet persona is hilarious, but not all of the material was worthy of her excellent delivery.
Experienced compere JoJo Sutherland has a wonderful line in friendly audience interaction.
Her easy banter was a great mood-setter for the evening, and unusually for a stand-up comedian, the front row actually appeared to enjoy talking to her!