Does My Face Look Big in This?

• Brian Donaldson
• 6 August 2013

This article is from 2013.

credit: Franzcesco Kangaris

Boundless energy keeps character show addessing the daily grind afloat

Caroline Hardie’s show is about the daily grind and what you can try to do in order to fend off its creeping drudgery. Given the vast amount of clothes she flings around during the hour in a desperate attempt to try and find something to wear (a frantic search for appropriate interview clobber is one of the highlights of Does My Face Look Big in This?), laundry might be one of her regular August pursuits.

She dips in and out of character between being herself (or more likely playing a slightly exaggerated version) and she gives us a portrait of Queen Liz as you have never seen her before and a forthright Australian orthodox feminist comedian.

Hardie has a seemingly bottomless pit of energy reserves to draw upon and it’s this resource, rather than great writing, which keeps her and the show afloat. It does feature one of two climactic references so far this Fringe to Michael Jackson’s ‘Earth Song’ video. Curious.

Underbelly, Bristo Square, 0844 545 8252, until 26 Aug (not 19), 1.40pm, £8–£9 (£7–£8).