Clare Plested: Flock Up

• Marissa Burgess
• 23 August 2016

This article is from 2016

credit: Bee Photography

Fast-paced, madcap character comedy

Plested succeeds in creating a party atmosphere before the show has even started. As we file in, she's running about the room, ticking off the audience types on a home-made chart on the wall and getting everyone shimmying. She's certainly skilled at providing her own warm-up.

Anyone who has seen this character comedian before will know to expect a fast-paced transformation from one madcap creation to another. To cover up the costume changes, there's a video in which a further character, #KellyZee, creates more and more ludicrous bogus charity hashtags.

The first couple of skits, however, are somewhat disappointing: the short order cook obsessed with grilling sausages is too drawn out and the crazed juicer sketch has a fine ending but is also a touch too long. Plested's magic is more evident in the next three characters: unhinged store detective Missy Marple who is haunted by the detective success of her aunt Jane, an embittered Rapunzel children's entertainer who inadvertently flags up gender double standards, and a very pissed woman simply looking for her mate Debs. Overall, a lot of fun.

Free Fringe @ Ciao Roma, until 27 Aug, 5.50pm, free.