For a drag queen, Scarlet SoHandsome is a real sweetie. Maybe it’s because she prefers the term “drag princess”, but SoHandsome’s persona is a far cry from those trouble-stirring shady bitches of
A relaxed environment with some great laughs to be had.
SoHandsome is a friendly and welcoming host, responding to all the range of characters in the audience. From chatting hometowns to flirting with the front row, she’s a delight. Granted, her structure doesn’t seem fully memorised and there are some moments where she’s prone to rambling, but her material is relatable enough to forgive those pauses in her flow.
The night is a mixed bill affair, with tonight’s particular line up boasting Sean Morley and Amy Gledhill. Morley is fast becoming a staple of the alternative comedy scene in northern England, and has recently appeared in the BBC New Comedy Award. His work in the last year has improved drastically, securing Morley’s place among the up and coming talent of the surrealist genre. When half of the set is entirely based on introducing himself, Morley proves his talent to keep the audience’s attention during such a brilliant piece of anti-humour. Of course, this comes as a double-edged sword: Morley is bound not to be everybody’s cup of tea, but he defies the norm which definitely fits with this year’s Fringe manifesto.
Amy Gledhill has a range of homegrown anecdotes around growing up in Hull, as well as some personal truths about her sexlife. Gledhill’s material dances around far more mainstream topics than Morley, and they contrast well here: SoHandsome has brought together a fairly broad range of acts for the night. The concept of mishearing a strong Hull accent sounds childish in theory, but in the room Gledhill’s infectious glee combines with the universal joy that comes with some good old-fashioned toilet humour. Gledhill’s confessionals are like catching up with a good friend. All in all, the night takes that similar tone: a relaxed environment with some great laughs to be had.
