Catherine Cohen @ Pleasance Courtyard

Infinite #content from a thrilling new comic – nothing can prepare you for Catherine Cohen's Fringe show

Review by Polly Glynn | 07 Aug 2019
  • Catherine Cohen

Welcome to Catherine Cohen’s insane speakeasy. The wall sparkles with the shredded tinfoil of a sleazy 70s club and Cohen shimmers as she runs onstage in a sequinned bodysuit. Already, you expect some sultry songs and flowing patter, but nothing can prepare you for The Twist…? She’s Gorgeous.

In brief, it’s a tightly-packed savage takedown of millennial culture, wrapped neatly in a glitzy cabaret show. With extra moving parts, and anti-comedy, as well as so much more. Cohen visibly bubbles with excitement as she skips back and forth, ready to cut the audience to their knees with each punchline surprise.

There’s a Rachel Bloom (of Crazy-Ex Girlfriend fame) quality to Cohen, bringing truth and relevance to her material with the buh-buh-boo, breathy voice of Marilyn Monroe. Except, for the most part, Cohen’s berating people who run marathons and post it all over social media, or embracing a cutesy tone as she croons about burying bodies.

Cohen is, quite simply, a revelation. A dark, witty explorer of current times with a captivating vitality and dynamism. This is comedy for right now – expect a million millennials to soon succumb to her satire. Predictably, the hour will prove divisive between critic and punter, but if you’re on board, Cohen will take you for a wild, wild ride.


Catherine Cohen: The Twist...? She's GorgeousPleasance Courtyard (Beneath), until 25 Aug (not 13, 19), 10.45pm, £11-13