At the Chortle Fast Fringe showcase

July 2008

Original Review:

Beyond the first few minutes, when she’s extra keen to make a good impression, you’d be hard pressed to find too many hard-and-fast jokes in this feisty Glaswegian’s debut. But she shares her often-selfish opinions and everyday stories from her life with such animated good humour, that she charms you into laughing.

The easier gags come at the expense of her height – she’s a mere 4ft 11in – but the wit comes more from her effortless, self-effacing honesty combined with her hugely expressive delivery.

The premise is that people should take more responsibility for their actions. An obvious enough standpoint, but one from which she soon wanders, talking about all manner of things from her grandmother’s dreams of being a film star (unlikely for an ordinary looking woman from a rough part of Glasgow), to schoolday memories; from women who hide food from themselves to the age-old staple of rows with the girlfriend.

The idea of losing some of your identity within a relationship is well-covered, but Calman illustrates it in her very personal, very peculiar way: all she wants is to be able enjoy the simple pleasure of chicken in a white sauce, which she cannot do in the presence of her strictly vegetarian partner.

Calman’s stories really are that mundane, but the way she tells them with wide-eyed enthusiasm and pacy delivery proves infectious, even in a sluggish mid-afternoon slot.

Reviewed by: Steve Bennett