In one word, Erika Ehler: Femcel is unexpected. An ironic title of a series of anecdotes and quips, where Ehler details her romantic encounters, and provides an honest analysis of her life and attitude to relationships.
Bring a paper bag with you to this show, you will need it
Not afraid to share personal and intimate details (down to very disturbing pictures), Ehler possessesa calmness of delivery mostly attributed to North American comics, relying on sarcasm and the intonation in her voice to deliver the punchline, unafraid to go to extreme lengths to mock herself.
The composure that she displays is part of a style that is quite rare among comics in the UK: she’s not afraid to chat with us, to comment on our reactions to her material, to create a relaxed give and take to fully engage us in her show. She pushes the boundaries of our sensibilities by making shocking observations that – like the best jokes – contain just enough truth for us to laugh through the pain of them. She knows how to hit all the right points and quickly drives us into hysterics.
Her blunt honesty serves her well, as she dares us to contradict her. Each joke surprises us more than the last, amplified by her use of multi-media, to the point where we learn very quickly not to assume that we know the direction in which Femcel is going, for there are many twists to the stories she tells, each more surprising and humorous than the last.
Femcel is an incredibly relaxed show, served by the fact that Ehler isn’t trying to drive a point home. She owns her experiences – from the tragic to the gruesome – and serves them in a routine that would be difficult for anyone not to find funny. Bring a paper bag with you to this show, you will need it.
