Edinburgh Fringe review: Luisa Omielan, Am I Right Ladies?
The queue for Luisa Omielan’s show could well be mistaken for a line outside a pop concert. Whooping groups of girls come in packs of four or more, clamouring for a seat at the front to be as close to their idol as possible.
The complete lack of any available seats in The Counting House is testament to the success of Omielan’s 2012 Fringe hit, What Would Beyoncé Do. Clearly buoyed by her recent success, Omielan dances around the stage pre-show and works the crowd effortlessly, warming them up for the packed hour ahead.
In Am I Right Ladies?, she is an absolute powerhouse of a performer, always moving, always in charge and always entertaining. She exudes self-belief and her audience is happy to reinforce it with regular applause breaks.
Despite significant technical problems which result in her performing without a mic for 90% of the show, Luisa strolls through an hour of girl-power fuelled, bombastic comedy. Bolstered by her hardcore fanbase, which greets every utterance of “you bitches” with screaming adulation.
Luisa hits punch lines on the nose time and time again. Her delivery and timing are brilliant, along with her adept use of the stage and even entering into the audience to get a laugh with a more physical approach. She’s an infectious personality with a big presence.
Occasionally the show can descend into men-bashing – in context, this is a response to Luisa’s pet hate of slut-shaming – and the jury’s out on whether the act works on the same level for a twenty-something bloke like me.
But there’s so much to be excited about in this show, and Omielan’s army of loyal fans seem to agree.
Date of live review: 1 August 2014 @ The Counting House
