Sex Shells is a rampant and rambunctious hour of reverie, a camp cabaret that’s exceptionally remarkable in style. There’s a lot of cabaret offerings at the Ed Fringe, and Sex Shells offers something radically different. Dr Le Strange, Callum from Hull and That Girl Rosie glisten with all the vivacity and panache of their sequin clad costumes, as they immediately whip the audience into a frenzy – one side of the room screaming for ‘Sex’, whilst the other shouts for ’Shells’.
A rampant and rambunctious hour of reverie
We are treated to 12 superbly original songs, adaptations they’ve written based on existing classics. The material is notably outstanding, and the trio’s delivery is phenomenal. Each of them possess very different vocals, yet there’s no weak link as they blow us away with their infectious charisma. This show is for sure the campest offering at the Fringe this year, yet refreshingly they don’t fall back on the all too familiar and overdone trope of over-sexualised hype. Sex Shells delivers all the best things about camp cabaret – sequins, show tunes and bags of personality – with none of the stereotypes. Highlights for me were Family Rejection sung to the tune of Beauty School Drop-out, and God’s Gay, to the tune of I Can't Live... where the deity’s sexuality is challenged with the assertion that "God’s Gay, it’s why he didn’t really fuck Mary".
Yummy mummies, climate change, Brexit and LGBTQ life are all explored in this fast hour which dominates both stage and audience. We feel part of this gang, as they include us in their quips and weave throughout the audience ensuring no inch of the room is left untouched by their shimmering presence. Rather than feeling intimidated, we will them to come to us – which is a challenging feat to achieve in a world dominated by social awkwardness. The performance ends on a profoundly unexpected note, cementing this group as a serious contender on the cabaret scene.
A charmingly scintillating hour which will make you think, make you sparkle and make you feel better about the world. Dr Le Strange also left me with serious hair envy. What more could you possibly ask of a performance.
