We all have regrets, right? This is the simple premise for Denise Scott’s show, which mainly consists of an hour of embarrassing stories at her own expense. If this sounds unoriginal and boring, it actually turns out to be a riot. This is the award-winning Australian comedian’s first venture to the Fringe and she’s likely to be as loved here as she is back home. From the moment Scott comes dancing onto the stage with the air of a crazy aunt, it doesn’t take her long to build up a rapport with the audience. Her banter with the audience is sharp and she comes intimately close to the front row.
From that awful scrunch perm she got years ago, to not having sex with a boy named Robbie Buckle, Scott shares her most awkwardly embarrassing memories. Her delivery is chatty, unassuming and she keeps us hanging on her every word. Scott is the kind of comedian who tells stories rather than jokes, but this is often the best kind of humour. She continually stresses that they’re true stories. Whilst it is highly likely she has tweaked some a bit and exaggerated them for comic effect, it doesn’t really matter because they’re hilarious anyway.
It’s hard not to love Scott’s self-deprecating humour and her open air of revelling in her most embarrassing memories - it’s a show mainly making fun of herself. In the space of the hour she also rants about people who claim to be gluten intolerant, magic pants, reduction bras and there are a few vomit stories thrown in for good measure too. It just so happened that on this night there was also a celiac, ex-baker, wannabe comedian in the audience; Scott couldn’t have planned that better if she’d tried. She also bravely tackles Alzheimer’s and the stories she tells about her mother are funny in a sweet kind of way. The show escalates, starting off fairly tame and gradually getting more outrageous, until her denouement which is the highlight of the show. Oh, and she plays the ukulele too, something which no Fringe show seems to be complete without.
At times Scott’s jokes feel predictable, but an hour spent in her company is still really enjoyable. Her comedy is warm-hearted, natural and easy to relate to. It isn’t groundbreaking stuff but sometimes all it takes to make you laugh is a good vomit-related joke. This is an hour of comedy you’re unlikely to regret paying for.
