Jen Brister: Jen Brister is British(ish)

The character of Jen Brister's Spanish mother looms large in this comic exploration of British identity. Perceiving herself as belonging primarily to the UK, Brister also feels the insistent pull of her Spanish heritage.

Fixing upon commonplace observations concerning British manners, the performance is layered by multi-voiced alternations between UK reserve and Spanish passion. Brister's vocal performances instil a fiery vitality into fine set-ups on the Glasgow accent and the idiosyncrasies of her mother. The frenetic surges building up to the punchlines don't consistently result in climactic points, but the fierce energy of the performance compensates for this.

Hesitation undermines one section on the Scots and the English. Audience members from Falkirk and Dunbar are invited to contribute to the final stages of the show, but Brister's admission that she doesn't know where these places are doesn't really do this part of the set any favours, even if it is ironic. Much more successful is the agitated finale. Lesbian porn provides the subject matter for some surprisingly sensitive insights into the present age, whilst the closing segment on missing a flight bristles with dark tension.

There's an original talent here, and a little fine-tuning should turn good shows into great ones very soon.