Melody

Quirky spoken word artist Jemima Foxtrot deals with big topics in a heart-warming way

This article is from 2015.

In a tiny, cramped venue beneath a noisy bar Jemima Foxtrot presents Melody, her free show comprising spoken word and occasional bursts of unaccompanied song, which showcases the artist's quirky storytelling skills.

With only a chair, occasional explanatory signs held up by an unseen figure behind a curtain and a speaker (which blasts the odd tune) as props, Foxtrot's performance is sublime in its simplicity. She invites us into her zany world with wonderfully weird descriptions, moving swiftly from sweet stories of being in the park to a break-up; from playing on the beach with her two nieces to a harrowing but important description of an abortion, which she immediately lightens by mentioning vomiting on a picture of Gwyneth Paltrow. Her fluency is impressive, and allows her to take the audience from laughter to heartfelt silence in seconds.

Sometimes her story can be hard to follow as she flits between places and emotions, but that adds to the feeling that she is offering the audience a little piece of herself, revealing how she really thinks and feels. The audience can't help but imitate the cheeky grin which creeps up on her face so often through her performance, and when she breaks out into song, it feels sweet and appropriate. Her happy energy in the face of life's more depressing aspects is infectious.

Clerk's Bar, 667 2701, until 29 Aug, 16.45, free.