Zara Gladman @ The Rum Shack, Glasgow

Zara Gladman is… Aileen: Cameron’s Gap Year Fundraiser is a medley of stereotypes that extend beyond the scope of Glasgow, despite the constant regional references. In actuality, the caricature of prudish, purse lipped middle-class mothers who revel in gentrification is far more universal than the show seems to give credit to. 

At the beginning, some generalisations play as entry level observations about upper crust characters, taking only seconds for references to Waitrose and AirBnB to get thrown out in the show's opening number. These early jokes inform the character and instantly lock us into Gladman’s viral success. Even when slightly hamfisted, Gladman paints a vivid portrait of Aileen in an instant, and after the groundwork is done, we unlock the comedy.

The first true success of the night is Aileen’s foray into poetry. Deliberate amateur dramatics and camp comedy mesh together brilliantly, showcasing Aileen’s theatrical ability to tap into something simultaneously old and refreshingly current. The side eyes while reciting details of her neighbour’s unusual visitors or her guttural screams while lamenting her Pilates Class through prose are set highlights.

As a moment of respite from Aileen’s theatrics, the costume is dropped and we are given a breathing period, where Gladman appears supposedly out of character. This section, which consists almost exclusively of four songs, moves the focus to life as an ageing millennial. The songs are sharp, with punchlines that improve track after track, tackling online trolls, ceramics, and a fan favourite, Subbuteo. Cynics may argue it’s excess material that doesn’t fit neatly with Aileen’s persona, but the change of pace is perfectly timed. 

Although Aileen is slightly more one-dimensional than you’d hope for an hour-long show, Gladman herself is overflowing with ideas, energy and humour, which keeps the set buoyant and engaging as it heads towards its climax. It’s a wonderfully showbiz finale, drowning in music and call-backs galore while harking back to jazz comics of the 1920s, akin to a Glaswegian Carisa Hendrix.

Despite the show’s paper thin theme, Gladman’s joyful silliness wins us over, with the West End Mum’s trepidatious visit to the Southside definitely worth it.

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Zara Gladman is... Aileen: Cameron's Gap Year Fundraiser, reviewed 12 Mar 2026

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