Amy Wright’s comedy show takes a light-hearted look at education by talking about her own life, from childhood to adulthood and choosing a career as a teacher (as well as a comedian). Early on in the show, she warns you about the alter-ego we are soon to meet, Amy Denise. Wright firstly explains about the long, frilly dark blue dress she is wearing: it is the only colour Denise will wear, as it is the colour of her favourite political party. After a rather too long introduction from Wright, she treats us to biscuits before running off to get Denise. Denise appears, now donned in toilet paper crossed over her shoulders (the flag of Scotland in case you hadn’t realised) and ridiculous blue hat, complete with flower decorations, whilst R. Kelly’s ‘I Believe I Can Fly’ plays as her entrance song. Sound strange? It was.
Once we meet Amy Denise, we learn something of the educational ideologies executed at her Free School in London, such as children being arranged into classes via their horoscope. We also learn extensively about her relationship with Michael Gove. We are then treated to a grammar quiz in which the answers needed to make sense to her and a grammar-teaching song.
The show had its moments and Wright is definitely a charming and funny woman, but she is no comedian. She is the type of person who would make you laugh in conversation, but that is it. Her show might benefit from a little more rehearsal and development of character - perhaps a posh English accent would have done the trick. For someone we had been warned was so Conservative, there wasn’t a huge amount in Amy Denise’s character that really told us this. It was enjoyable at times, but weak on the whole.
