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(W)holy Helga

 
Nicholas Abrams Review by Nicholas Abrams 3 Published: 29 May 2026 Café Club Míšenská Show Dates: 27 May 2026-30 May 2026

Fringe audiences tend to be remarkably forgiving of chaos - particularly when that chaos arrives wrapped in confidence, absurdity and the possibility that absolutely anything could happen next. (W)holy Helga leans heavily into exactly that energy, delivering an hour of religious clowning, sexual repression and audience humiliation that is frequently very funny, occasionally uncomfortable, and still a work in progress.

an entertainingly strange hour of religious chaos and clowning

I first met Nazaret Froufe at Prague Fringe’s Meet the Media event, where she openly admitted she was still rewriting sections of the show ahead of opening night. In fact, when I asked whether she even wanted reviewers attending so early in the run, she actively encouraged it. There is something admirably fearless about that approach and, fittingly, it mirrors the show itself: bold, messy, playful and not entirely finished.

Froufe plays Helga, a deeply devout young woman with braided blonde hair and increasingly confused feelings about Jesus. Entering with a ukulele rendition of Ave Maria, she quickly establishes the show’s blend of innocence, provocation and silliness. From there, the performance unfolds as a sequence of clowning sketches stitched together by Helga’s spiralling religious ecstasy and sexual awakening.

The influence of Philippe Gaulier is unmistakable throughout. If you are familiar with Gaulier-trained performers, you will recognise many of the rhythms, comic games and physical dynamics immediately. Froufe is clearly a talented physical performer and she commits fully to the ridiculousness of the character, whether gyrating against a crucifix, moaning through prayer, or orchestrating increasingly awkward audience participation.

And audience participation is absolutely central here. Several audience members are dragged onstage to become unwilling accomplices in Helga’s increasingly unhinged rituals - from receiving communion via Pringles and Coca-Cola to dressing as clergy while Helga grinds against them in religious ecstasy. Some of the comedy comes from watching ordinary people attempt to survive the experience with dignity intact.

At its best, the show generates exactly the kind of dangerous unpredictability that good clowning thrives on. Froufe works well with the audience and there are flashes where she finds genuinely brilliant improvised moments. But those flashes are not yet consistent enough. She does not quite possess the confidence within the character to fully sustain and shape the ad-libbing, and occasionally interactions drift rather than escalate.

The larger issue is that the central comic idea simply is not substantial enough yet to sustain a full hour. A sexually repressed religious woman becoming increasingly aroused by her devotion is amusing, but the show circles the same joke too many times without developing it sufficiently. There are only so many moans, thrusts and moments of simulated possession that can retain their shock value before the material begins repeating itself.

That said, the foundations are absolutely there. Helga is a strong comic creation and Froufe is undoubtedly a performer with instinct, charisma and physical precision. What the show now needs is sharper shaping and a broader range of material to deepen the character beyond the central premise.

Even in its current form, though, (W)holy Helga remains an entertainingly strange hour that earns plenty of laughs and leaves the audience never quite sure what indignity might happen next.

Amir Nisi

Nicholas Abrams

Nick runs Broadway Baby's Brighton operation.

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The Blurb:

When she is good, she’s very, very good. But when she is bad, hmmm... Join Helga on her journey on the path of faith as she leads us on a sacred and perhaps uncomfortable journey where belief, desire and power collide. Along the way, she will reveal the unspeakable, and a bit of skin too! Will all her sins be forgiven? Hmmm... Let's not forget that she is a woman! Are you ready to join her on this journey? Are you sure? If so, be ready to be surprised by the laughter, and get ready to join in. From the Basque Country, Nazaret Froufe brings her first solo show to the Prague Fringe Festival, showcasing the playful freedom inspired by her training with the late, great Philippe Gaulier. After a successful run in various cabarets with her buffoon-inspired character Helga, she is finally bringing a hilarious and naughty show, inviting you on an unpredictable journey of laughter, absurdity, and unexpected truths. Buy tickets 27.05. 17:15 – 18:05 28.05. 20:15 – 21:05 29.05. 18:30 – 19:20 30.05. 20:15 – 21:05 Age Accessibility 18+ Language Easy English Venue Café Club Míšenská Add to My Calendar Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su 22232425262728
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