Review by Eve Nugent
At 14:55, in her magnificent pale pink suit and with a slick-back bun, Diona Doherty waltzes onto the Monkey Barrel 2 stage in style. This award-winning Irish comedian wastes no time, diving headfirst into her 50-minute long set which centres on the hilarious tribulations of parenthood, marriage, age, IVF, womanhood, and so much more. As a parent of two young children below the age of five, Doherty has a plethora of zany material to draw from – she is irresistibly charming and warm, offering buckets of quick-witted and relatable humour which leaves everyone smiling from her fiery entrance to the final bow.
The show is titled Get Your Pink Back! But why? Doherty soon makes everything become clear. When flamingos have children, both the male and the female lose their vivid pink colouring and fade into a paler, washed-out cream colour. However, once their offspring have grown and become independent, the adults can regain their pink vibrancy – and that is exactly what Doherty is striving for, a hilariously tumultuous journey which she shares deliciously to her sold-out audience.
The crafty use of personal voice notes augment the credibility of this set, as we hear short clips of Doherty’s daughter, friends, husband and family. She offers a healthy scattering of 2000s references in this cleverly polished set, with repeated motifs coming in full circle: breastfeeding disasters in the cinema, her “weird cousin Kevin”, and a peculiar modelling course in Belfast costing £250, to name but a few.
Overall, despite the continuous self-deprecating comedic flair, Doherty also grows vulnerable when describing the shadows that followed her during her experience with post-natal depression. She thus offers a heartfelt message about self-love and respect, as well as the joys of living in a blended family and raising her daughter to love her body – “wear the f****** shorts”. Over time, we see Doherty get her long-lost “pink” back, and the result could not be more rewarding.
Heartfelt
Diona Doherty: Get Your Pink On! runs at Monkey Barrel
Running time: Sixty minutes without interval
Review by Eve Nugent (contact@corrblimey.uk)
An undergraduate French student at the University of Edinburgh, Eve has a diverse interest in theatre and performance. Her primary devotion is acting, predominantly at Bedlam Theatre with her fellow students, but also with French group ‘Les Escogriffes’ who perform annually at the French Institute of Scotland.
Her creative attention stretches also to classical music, as she enjoys playing the flute, piano and guitar. She thus looks forward to watching whatever the Fringe has to offer, irrespective of genre!
