Annabel Marlow @ Pleasance Courtyard
SIX star Annabel Marlow’s debut comedy hour is charming but lacks laughs
Annabel Marlow is very talented. It’s surely a prerequisite to having a career in theatre at such a young age. That’s not to mention that her voice is absolutely gorgeous, and it’s great to see a musical comic unapologetically belt it because they know how good their voice is. This, coupled with an opening ten minutes of playful audience interaction that has the room giggling from the off, gives you the feeling that we might be about to see something quite special.
Behind the show is the idea that it’s actually Marlow’s mother forcing her to put on this show in the first place (akin to Sondheim’s Gypsy), as the show opens with our star and her 'mother' having a conversation over the speakers. Then, through the medium of song, Marlow takes us through a whistle-stop tour of her life that is sometimes earnest and sometimes tinged with irony – in true Gen Z style. It’s her aim for the whole thing to feel as though a young child is performing to their captive parents in the living room, something she successfully achieves.
What …is this okay?? becomes is certainly better than okay, but falls short of what it’s capable of. In some senses it could be considered a great show, but not when it is ostensibly advertised as comedy. It’s disappointing because Marlow has great comedic ability – songs about, for example, being a ‘Very Relaxed Person’ and doing the ‘Doctor Waltz’, alongside her witty asides (sometimes directed at us), all indicate she has great potential to amuse. But her debut show is held back when she leans a little far into sincerity; songs that aren’t ‘supposed to be funny’ lead to long periods without laughs, making it harder for the show to satisfy each time they feature. That’s not to say they aren’t beautiful songs, but they make her job that little bit more difficult.
Ultimately, though, it’s certainly worthwhile to see Marlow in action with a West End-worthy voice in the intimacy of the Pleasance. With more performances as a musical comic under her belt, she’ll no doubt come back bigger and better.
Annabel Marlow... is this okay??, Pleasance Courtyard (The Attic), until 27 Aug (not 16), 8.30pm, £10-11