Miranda Kane's show,
this show is not for the faint-hearted or those who don’t love their comedy served a bit dirty and a bit cringe-inducing.
The show does what it says on the tin – Miranda hands out her number to the masses of the public at the festival and we listen to the stories they leave on her voicemail. "This is the show," Kane repeatedly crows whilst dancing away to Call Me Maybe. A lot rides each night on how many people leave messages or pick up their phones. (oh yes, she calls those unfortunate people back!) Yet, even on one of her slower evenings, Kane always has a host of back-up material, interacting with the audience like a pro, and keeping us amused through any awkward spaces in messages/calls.
As a comic, Kane is bubbly and energetic, she doesn't seem bothered by whether the audience is going to love her or not - and that makes her strangely alluring. Obviously the show can be a hit and miss depending on what Kane has to work with - but regardless it still makes for a really enjoyable watch. On the particular evening I attended we helped one person learn how to control their… bowel movements; and also heard a story about STIs. Basically, this show is not for the faint-hearted or those who don’t love their comedy served a bit dirty and a bit cringe-inducing.
Another point to note is that Kane is a classic ‘get the audience involved’ stand-up, she relies heavily on improv and audience interaction, and again, this brings with it its own set of risks, but throughout the night she managed to recover any awkward moments with her natural charm. It’s the sort of odd-ball, anything-could-happen show that you would expect from someone who relies on people calling her up for source material!
The concept of her show isn't quite fail-safe but it's creative, it's what the Fringe is for – getting to know others who are out and about in the festival, and not taking anything too seriously. Plus, I think there is something quite therapeutic about anonymously spilling your secrets to a room of punters.
