Felicity Ward has begun her run at this year’s Fringe Festival rather late in the season, but it is one of the Festival’s standout shows this year. Maybe word had got about by her fourth show, because the room was packed to the rafters. The stage was set well with children’s sheets as a backdrop and pegged to them were several childhood photos of Felicity as a child that she used as proof that she was deemed to be an ugly child. Strewn about were other items that gradually played their part in Felicity’s story.
This was a show about family, growing up in a small town (Woy Woy), coming to terms with being different, awkwardness and humiliation. These are similar things that have been touched upon in the past by comedian Alan Brough who has added his brilliant direction to this stunning show. Felicity handled all of these subjects like a pro and kept the audience laughing through her misguided attempts to fit in with the ‘pretty’ popular girls. Felicity is, in retrospect, rather lucky to have come from such a weird family that she has quite a mother lode of gold material to draw upon. They were a poor, but creative family and I related to this, having gone through a povo period with a creatively canny mum myself. I never wore a garbage bag as a raincoat, but I did wear one as a dress to a blue light disco once – it was the 80s! She had a fabulous birthday song for her sister and a photo album full of sports achievement certificates to share with us.
Felicity is particularly good at character work, I have seen her do stand up spots as a character where she is barely recognisable. Here without costume or makeup, she became, her mum, dad, a slice of meat on a stick, a superb school counsellor and her own vagina. Occasionally her inner thoughts popped out and she deconstructed her performance a little, to great effect. The only bit I wasn’t crazy about, though it did provide a lot of laughs, was the quiz at the end, where she dragged a hapless audience member on stage to quiz with the threat of being electrically zapped by a remote control army tank. The tanks didn’t work properly and when her guest was finally zapped, she jumped in the air, yelled with pain and didn’t look like she was having fun anymore. Mostly it just made me worry about the level of violent toys that are obviously being manufactured these days. Whatever happened to Kerplonk? And why the quiz? Has Alan Brough spent too much time on a quiz show?
Despite facing many of life’s tribulations in the past, Felicity’s show did not come across as self indulgent or mawkish at any point. It was a joyful celebration of difference and survival and being comfortable with yourself and your past. Felicity gave a knock out performance and she deserves all the fame and acclaim awaiting her.
Visit the Fringe Website for booking details.