Claire Hooper – Storybook
“What is the meaning of life?” is the penultimate question lurking in the background behind Claire Hooper’s Storybook, a show in which the talented comic attempts to discover her own identity through the stories of those who came before her. The question is ultimately answered but, much like “42” in The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the answer may only make sense in another reality.
This is a very personal show, with stories about her parents and fiancé comprising the bulk of the material. While often very funny, it also occasionally touches on some very depressing events, which brings a hint of gravitas to the evening, at the expense of grinding the laughter to a halt, meaning that Hooper has to restart her comic momentum from scratch- a task which she proved more than able to accomplish.
There is a whiff of whimsy about the evening, a sense that is merely enhanced by the circus-like air provided by the gorgeous Bosco theatre. Hooper begins the show dressed as a horse reading from a storybook and talking to an owl, creating a surreal atmosphere in which she attempts to revive the art of oral storytelling as a means of passing wisdom from generation to generation. At one point she even improvises short children’s stories on the spot, based on problems solicited from members of the audience. These individually crafted stories are then handed to the audience members whose problems they solved, leaving two very special artifacts of the evening with two very pleased festival-goers, and proving that the simple wisdom children’s stories can solve almost any problem.
While the comedy of the act is somewhat counter-balanced by the more bleak elements of the evening, the show’s finale is a charming piece of genius that is well worth the price of admission alone. On the strength of even these last few moments, Claire Hoopers Storybook comes highly recommended.
View the comedy festival website for bookings and further details