Edinburgh Fringe review: Maddy Carrick in Maddy’s Carrickters
Cramped into a tiny sweatbox loft venue, Maddy Carrick fights the intense heat with boundless energy and unchecked levels of charisma.
There is little time to breath in this show as Maddy takes just a few seconds to change costume and prepare herself for her next sketch. There aren’t too many sketches here, Maddy choosing to stretch out her favourite characters instead of barraging the audience with many like a lot of sketch shows do.
Unfortunately that is exactly how most of the sketches feel – stretched out. The characters’ get laughs within the first 30 seconds, but the sketches are several minutes long. That said, the characters themselves are funny, and the premise, and Maddy’s excellent acting make them really come to life.
Maddy’s closing sketch involves a simple ritual humiliation of an audience member. There isn’t even really a joke. It’s just an audience member being told what to do by Maddy’s character, and of course, her instructions are incredibly demeaning and embarrassing.
A male audience member must put on make-up, rub feet and much more, lest they be dubbed a killjoy or face the character’s wrath. The reaction of the crowd was one of cringing, groans and sounds of empathy with the participant, not of laughter with the performer.
All in all this is a wonderfully acted but ultimately flawed show, which with some shorter sketches and less abrasive audience interaction could really blossom.
Date of live review: 19 August 2014 @ The Counting House
