Francesca Martinez has Cerebral Palsy, but she prefers to describe herself as 'wobbly’. This is good example of her humorous and positive approach to her her condition, and disability in general. Fittingly for a show that embraces difference, this is not a typical stand-up set. She has plenty of good gags, but they are dotted among stories, poems, and unashamedly political rants. It could be better described as 'An Evening With... Francesca Martinez', and while not consistently hilarious, she is excellent company. Martinez’s frank and moving descriptions of growing up with a disability and coming to accept being outside of the norm are thought-provoking but also genuinely entertaining, as he is a witty and engaging raconteur with a particular skill for sharp one-liners. Her message about the merits of individuality is strongly conveyed without being proselytising or labouring the point.You may recognise Martinez from her stint as a regular on 'Grange Hill', or her appearance in a particularly excruciating episode of 'Extras'. In subjecting herself to the Ricky Gervais treatment, she demonstrated her ability to poke fun at herself just as much as the well-meaning idiots or tokenistic politicians whose attitude to disability she derides so scathingly. This may not be the funniest show in the comedy section, but it's uplifting, engaging, and refreshingly different.
