Vikki Stone is no stranger to the Fringe; she has graced Edinburgh with her effervescent brand of musical comedy before. Her song about Phillip Schofield is a firm favourite among fans and don’t fear, it makes an appearance in this year’s show. She’s a piano-playing firecracker with smudged makeup and a killer voice.
Stone is unafraid to tackle the squeamishness of sex, which is a refreshing thing to see in a young, female comedian. She manages to be brash, rude and funny without straying into anything which will alienate a male audience. She embraces a good bit of trash culture in her routine: she performs Deal or No Deal live (although the prizes are more edible); discusses the pitfalls of internet dating; and rants a bit more about Phillip Schofield and her love for This Morning. Her games, impressions and stand-up are mixed up with musical interludes, accompanied by Stone on her striking, white grand piano.
This is a light hearted hour of comedy under no pretence of taking itself too seriously. ‘Here is the message, everyone loves a message’ Stone sings, tongue firmly in cheek, in the closing song. Despite this, her song attacking critics and defending her right to be rude is, although hilarious, hard-shitting and pretty powerful take on the issue. Also, there is nothing funny about her singing voice, it’s an absolute belter.
The very beginning of the show does drag a little: the opening song and section of stand-up does feel like a bit of a warm up. However, it does help that she talks the audience through her status as a Hot Mess to make sense of the comedic persona she creates: she is that scatty friend you have who gets a little too drunk and has pictures on facebook that she doesn’t remember (which crop up during the show).
Vikki Stone will give you a frolicking romp of an hour, backed by a powerful voice and an endearing lack of attention to social etiquette. Expect to see her knickers if you sit in the front row and expect to love it.