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Catriona Knox: Packed Lunch
Published on Sunday, 14 August 2011
3

3 stars

Udderbelly's Pasture (venue website)
Comedy
3-14, 16-29 Aug, 1:35pm-2:35pm
Reviewed by Mathilda Gregory

 Parental Guidance. Parents or guardians should consider the content of this show if children are attending.

Catriona Knox is one third of sketch group The Boom Jennies. I really enjoyed their show in Brighton, and thought Knox stood out as one of the strongest and most versatile performers in that group. I was keen to see her solo show, wondering what she could do with a full hour to herself.

Knox is certainly an accomplished comedy actor.  With the rain pounding so hard outside that it's clearly audible throughout the show, she performs with conviction and gusto, even to a smaller crowd deterred by the weather.  Most of her sketches involve some level of the audience participation, with the front row cast as customers in a restaurant, fellow patrons in the pub or the rest of a group therapy session.

This gave the show an interesting edge and, once or twice, a real sense that anything could happen – which was welcome, as a lot of the pieces themselves felt a bit lacklustre. And a recurring character in the show, the owner of a woeful Greek restaurant, made me uncomfortable. The stereotype of the ethnic restaurateur pushing a grotesque-sounding traditional dish on her punters seemed horribly dated.

The stand-out sketch is a miserable Fergie, former Duchess of York, drinking in a pub in – for no good reason – Burnley, watching the Royal wedding and urging Kate Middleton to beware the fate that could befall her. This was wonderfully done and included some well-pitched, hugely enjoyable moments of improvisation.

But the rest of the show failed to reach such heights. It's truly a shame, but I feel I saw more range and excitement from Knox when she was sharing the stage with two other performers.

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