Comedian Kemah Bob milks easy belly laughs from holiday hell
Kemah Bob: Miss Fortunate
Factory Theatre, April 25. Until April 27.
★★★1/2
Reviewed by DANIEL HERBORN
When Texas-born, London-based comic Kemah Bob's therapist suggested she take daily 'mental health walks' to help manage her bipolar disorder, it seemed like a good idea.
But when one of those walks turned into a casual shoplifting spree at a fashionable boutique, it seemed like maybe she needed to up the ante on her wellness regime.
Energised by the thought of beach time, massage and yoga, she books a flight to Thailand and is soon happily exploring her new surroundings, waving off warnings about wandering around a night market alone.
Before long, she believes herself an instant expert in all things Thailand. Then, a man who describes his job as helping independent African miners sell their gold in Asia swoops in, determined to whisk her away from the tourist trail. Apparently, he can't pay for anything, though, as he has misplaced his key card.
With Miss Fortunate, Bob tells a winding tale with upbeat warmth and easy charm. It's an unusual story and one rich in dramatic irony.
We grimace at every red flag she ignores and see through every tall tale she laps up as her plans for a chilled-out vacation are upended in a whirlwind of weed shops and extravagant spending.
It paints an engaging, wryly funny portrait of living with bipolar disorder and the frustrating unpredictability of the condition; Bob explains that manic episodes can be triggered by achieving goals, not achieving goals, life experiences (good or bad) and even the changing of the weather and the passage of time.
While sometimes more gently engrossing than hilarious, Bob's relaxed charisma keeps you on board. There are even a couple of jaunty songs, including the closing number, where she takes a sanguine look back at the holiday from hell, happy enough to have survived to tell the tale.
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