International burlesque performer and comedian Zoe Charles’ Memoirs of a Slutsky is an interesting, hilarious and heart-warming account of her less than conventional journey to adulthood. Starting in 1990 when she was just twelve, Charles invites us into her bizarre family home and creates an array of colourful characters who just happen to be her family. These include her twin sisters from the West Country, a Californian hippy mum, a father who wanders around the house naked and the family cat, John Major, who is used to cover her father’s genitals should guests arrive.
Well scripted and beautifully put together, this really championes Charles’ professional nature, even when she is flirting with the naughty side of life.
The tale of how she became who she is today is extremely entertaining and there was raucous laughter echoing across the room. The small stage at the Marlborough theatre is set up with a flipchart to one side, which Charles uses to visually showcase any material that may require further explanation. A seasoned performer, Zoe Charles has clearly experienced a lot of unusual and bizarre situations; many of her anecdotes verge on the unbelievable leaving us shocked and wanting more. At times the show took a more serious turn and the emotion on the performers face was very moving.
The serious tone did not dampen the mood, but instead served as a reminder that behind the glitz, glamour and outrageous stories Zoe is human and has her own troubles too. She brings the flare of the burlesque to the stage, rounding off the performance with a well recieved dance that cleverly references moments from the rest of the show. Well scripted and beautifully put together, this really championes Charles’ professional nature, even when she is flirting with the naughty side of life.
