This set sees actress and comedienne Gemma Whelan don her brilliant character creation as Chastity Butterworth, a polished and aristocratic lady with a penchant for discussing bodily functions. Butterworth is a thespian, a poetess, a punster, a zumba enthusiast, a BMX bandit, a swinger and, it would appear, a bit of a drug fiend. The most unlikely habits and tales spring forth from these most elegant of lips. A flutter of feminine ticks dance across her delicate face; and little intakes of breath convey that the lady may swoon at any minute, mainly because of what she got up to last night.
Whelan instantly found our level; puerile humour wrapped in perfect prose had the audience thoroughly delighted. Butterworth’s theatricality and self-congratulatory manners form a delightfully incongruous concoction. This performance is absurd as it is improper. We find it in our heart to forgive her for the most horrific of puns.
Whelan’s characters dance to her tune like a cobra to the flute of its charmer. This motley crew of life’s rejects discovered by Butterworth on some less notable dating websites collectively form a dazzling rainbow of wrong. You can’t help but instantly fall in love with every one of her ridiculous creations. The script grows ever more complex as we meet more and more reprobates and hilarity ensues as Chastity tries to keep track of them all.
The audience does not escape a role in this play; Butterworth enlists unenthusiastic volunteers to help deliver her magnum opus. A surprise quiz adds an element of variety to an already jam packed show. There may be fruit involved.
I have not laughed this hard the entire festival. This show is nothing short of magical. This punny performance will perforate the most apathetic of punters with puerile and pure delight. Be warned, this show may contain traces of Spanish hamster.
