Mae Martin: Dope
Absorbing and energetic set from Canadian star on the rise
This talented Canadian comedian has been knocking around the Fringe for a few years, but her 2017 show is a revelation. With an easy patter, instant likeability and energetic wit, Mae Martin's blend of storytelling and stand-up is one of the festival's most delightful hours.
The title of her show, Dope, seems misleading: what would this butter-wouldn't-melt face know about drugs? She begs to differ. After what seems like a fairly standard phone conversation with her mother, she launches into a mesmerising tale about the paths her addictive personality has led her down, from serious drug use to intense relationships and on to live comedy. We're lucky Martin ditched the first and stuck with the last.
The combination of her effortless delivery and her wide-eyed neurosis gives Dope an electric atmosphere; she has everyone in this cramped basement on the edge of their seat as she tells her absorbing personal tale. There's definitely a feeling here that Martin's on the edge of something big. We're likely to be hearing a lot more from her in the future, and that is a very good thing.
Laughing Horse @ City Café, until 27 Aug, 8pm, free.