Arts > Comedy

Sara Pascoe

Norwich Theatre Playhouse

20/04/17

I arrived to watch Animal with very little experience of Sara Pascoe and her stand up reputation; but as I took my seat it soon became clear that I was sitting in a sold out theatre of dedicated fans that were absolutely gagging for her to grace the stage with her presence. The reception from the audience was nothing but warm and inviting and Pascoe mirrored this by opening with how lovely all the staff at the playhouse are and how much she liked Norwich (she was on to a win!)

Pascoe’s stage persona was incredibly endearing; she has a tendency to raise her hand as she elaborates a point in an adorably funny manner whilst reeling off hilarious tangents about disastrous yoga retreats, ineffective hand-jobs and how “YouTubers are children that talk nonsense…and are millionaires!”

The set itself was really well timed and upbeat through out and there was a great balance between “laugh out loud” jokes and the amusing tales of silliness from her youth or as she called it “the 80’s, you know, the olden days”. I really appreciated her honesty when she talked about failed past relationships because not only is it funny to hear about how mental her ex-boyfriend was but also I think it just brings that vital human quality to the craft of stand up comedy.

With Pascoe you don’t feel as if you are watching a show in the sense that anything is fake, you feel like you are connecting with an incredibly savvy, admirable young woman.

10/10