Ouroboros, 5 Stars

Ouroboros
Belly Button
13:10

“Narcissism. Ego. Superficiality. Social media. Obsession. Viciously funny and darkly comic. Fox portrays a conveyer belt of hyper-functional characters, combining music, physical theatre, dance and bouffon in a dynamic, confrontational piece that will lead you down a rabbit hole of delicious chaos. ‘A fierce condemnation of society’s insidious body-shaming’ ***** (LondonPubTheatres.com). ‘A confidence and creative verve that go beyond the resonance of her themes’ **** (Everything-Theatre.co.uk). ‘Affirming, ludicrous, surreal and raw… Fox is an astonishing physical performer’ (TheTung.co.uk).”

Review by Richard Lambert, 5 Stars

Charlotte Fox has created what must be the funniest hour of comedy on the Fringe. She has got to be very slightly mad to create something like this piece. The show starts with a full-on Vegas showgirl style dance presenting a platter which has a cake on it. Yes, the presentation of the plattered cake dance. In high heels and spangly bling shiny shorts. Including cartwheels and high kicks. Spoiler alert here – she ends up slipping and doing a face plant. Clearly not someone who takes her image too seriously!

The premise for the grandest opening ever? It’s an audition piece. Ha! And from this high octane start Charlotte’s characters range from yoga teachers, actors out of work, therapists, gym instructors – all of the character’s with issues such as body dysmorphia, drug addiction, anorexia, and good old fashioned anxiety. It’s a heady mix of characters bringing forth issues within our society and with lots and lots of creative ideas and props and various different methods of presenting. To top it all, she’s extremely agile and flexible and very willing to roll in the dirt as it were to fully embrace each character. Cake in the hair, asparagus on the blouse……not phased by anything.

I was literally laughing and chuckling the entire way through – even though some of the underlying material struck a nerve. For me, ordering a meal in the restaurant and the dilemma of having what I want and what I should or shouldn’t eat. Beating myself up with guilt and conscience – Charlotte literally did beat herself up until she ended up with an asparagus stick and sending compliments to the chef for it.

A wonderful hour of poignant fast zany sketches by this multi-talented performer! A short run at the Fringe so catch it urgently!