Susie McCabe strolls on stage, observing that she’s never felt more like a sex worker since being crushed inside the shipping container that is Assembly’s Blue Room. This sets the scene for what will be an hour of uncomplicated, unstoppable and engaging humour. We learn why Glasgow will never have serial killers; about teaching kids to shoplift and what happens when you don’t put water in your iron.
An hour of uncomplicated, unstoppable and engaging humour
Subsequent to the breakdown of her marriage, Susie has undergone a plethora of new experiences. Moving back home with her parents provides the opportunity for many comedic observations, as the dynamic of ‘neurotic mother’ and ‘arsehole teenager’ pick up right where they left off. Susie also dips her toe into the world of dating, which has changed indescribably from her previous experiences 20 years ago. In the hands of a less natural artist, these topics risk becoming cliched. However Susie narrates them with such enthusiastic, casual confidence that we are gripped to her every word.
Highlights of her performance were her descriptions of trying to get into bed without waking her partner, and her loathing of people who take trollies to the self scan machines. And without breaking her relentless convoy of witticisms, she delves expertly into observations on how woman-on-woman sexism is insidiously damaging the way women interact with each other and experience their place in the world. It’s an interesting and fresh perspective, and an angle to the #metoo conversation which isn’t reflected in other narratives. What I loved about Susie’s material was that she has the ability to link back jokes from earlier in the show, into skits she creates further along. This is a skill which few comedians possess, and is the result of a brilliant mind and perfect timing. These moments help to create an intimate relationship experience, in which the audience and Susie have shared ‘in jokes’.
An evening with Susie McCabe is a fresh hour of gratifying humour, which will appeal to a large demographic. Her material is extremely relatable, and her turn of phrase so naturally funny that we are compelled to laugh for the duration of the show. Despite the rain battering down outside, Susie also came out to say thank you to each audience member for attending, which was a lovely touch.
