Review

REVIEW: Lucy Frederick: Famtastic – 1*

Radio Ha-Ha! talks Ha-Ha!

Written by Sarah Exton

Review date: 6th August 2019

Comedy is Commitment. Whether your humour is blue, dark, clown or satire etc – you have to commit to your set and deliver it wholeheartedly. However, Lucy Frederick’s show was the disappointing mix of fantastic ideas, but a delivery that was lacking. 

Divulging into the difficulties of being a step-parent, Lucy had a solid idea to run with, but didn’t. Opening up about attending school with Holly Willoughby, and how much she disliked her, Frederick set herself up with the potential to have many call backs throughout the show; overexaggerating her disdain in an over-the-top manner each time, but again – she didn’t. If there were any callback to this bit, they were neither satisfying, nor funny enough to be memorable.

Whenever I go into a show, especially of a comedian I haven’t heard of before, I automatically route for the performer. I always try to connect with the show in some way, whether that be through the content, themes, tone, or energy. In this case, I found it very difficult to engage with ‘Famtastic’. Maybe it was due to the material being quite heavily centred around her life in Middlesex? Or perhaps Lucy making weird faces and sounds was executed in such a way that it felt contrived, rather than fun?

Nonetheless, Lucy Frederick comes across as someone who is incredibly lovely and funny to know as a person. However, on this occasion, those characteristics barely translated into her performance.

Lucy’s show is on at Underbelly Bristo Sq (Clover), every day (except the 14th), at 2:50PM. Tickets available here: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/lucy-frederick-famtastic