Presented by Mick Perrin Worldwide in association with United Agents
Review by Harri Dimdore-Miles
Internet comedy sensation, Imogen Andrews, has gone analogue with her hour-long character comedy fringe debut – ‘Unlikeable Worms’. Andrews has a background in comedy writing and stand up but is most well known for her short form online skits including characters like ‘West end mum’ and ‘Stingy Estate agent’. ‘Unlikeable Worms’ consists of cameos from some of these familiar viral characters alongside some new (but similarly unlikeable) new faces.
Andrews begins by crawling out a pop-up tent in her classic fluorescent suit, embodying the stingy estate agents, she then attempts to sell the audience the Fringe venue that they are sat in. She gets personal with the crowd quickly, wittily demonstrating how much room there is by crawling under chairs and squeezing close to people. She delivers everything with the perfect soulless vocal fry of a women who truly does not care what she’s selling, only that she gets commission.
Andrews transitions through many other characters in the hour including lame European dating coach, Terrible Hinge date and disgraced conservative MP turned reform candidate. Some characters were an absolute hit, and Andrew’s acting skills and astute awareness of human behaviour and harmless stereotypes shines bright. Other characters perhaps didn’t have the legs for a 5-minute sketch and worked a lot better as small online clips. Her sketches worked best where there was a plot (however ridiculous) that keeps the scene dynamic – highlights include a Bonnie Blue parody where she ate 1000 eggs with 1000 men in one day and now wanted to make hot CORN live on stage. Andrew hilariously captures the vacant stare of Bonnie Blue but adds in the level of creative absurdism and light heartedness that creates the perfect character comedy sketch. If she could create a greater element of plot or depth to her other sketches, they would likely become more engrossing. Bits like ‘hinge guy’ and ‘European dating coach’ felt a little two dimensional beyond the initial humour of their zany characteristic or tropes.
Some of Andrews strongest work involved the use of a selfie stick and live stream – meaning the audience could see both her and a projection of what her phone sees. Andrews seemed more at home with this kind of presentation of comedy and the effects were genius. She is really on to something with this multimedia gag, it creates the perfect visual irony as we are forced to go digital with something happening right before our eyes.
Andrew’s has genuine talent and great potential as a diversely funny live performer. Once she has gained more confidence bringing her characters to the stage, she will be unstoppable. The show, not without hiccup, is very enjoyable and not short of moments of great comedic reflection on the unlikable worms of our society.
Genuine Talent
Imogen Andrews: The Unlikeable Worms runs Venue 23, Ace Dome at Pleasance Dome at 21:30
Running time – Sixty minutes
Review by Harri Dimdore-Miles (contact@corrblimey.uk)
Harri is a recent graduate from Edinburgh University where they studied Philosophy for four years. They are a drag artist and comedian who performs under the alias “Lord Sugar Daddy” and have been in the scene for just over two years. They love absurd character comedy, all things silly and camp. You can often find them in Paradise Palms or Leith Arches attending of participating in events like Fruit Salad and Bro Code. Further afield Harri was involve in the drag scene in Australia on her year abroad, where she brought her writing and performing to queer fundraisers, cabaret competitions and music festivals.
Harri has been a keen goer of the Fringe since she was just twelve years old and is particularly interested in this year’s drag kings, clowns and character comedians! That being said she believe that using comedy as a vessel to deliver bigger philosophical or political messages is the most powerful and disarming kind of theatre – so she’ll be searching for some more weighty productions too. Anything off beat, with sharp writing is her forte.
