Loretta Maine: Bipolar

Stop looking at her. Keep looking at her. Stop looking. Keep looking. It’s fair to say that Loretta Maine is a little up and down. 

She looks like the love child of Tim Minchin and Alice Cooper (her words, not mine), and she has just the temperament you’d expect of such a horrific copulation. Backed by her morose looking two-man band (who refused to dress up as the two polar bears of the title – bastards), the kohl-eyed songstress is mean, mouthy, and magnificent. She’s also sloshed: aren’t tiny bottles of wine so great?

She’s mad, bad, and a little bit sad – but that’s nothing that can’t be cured with another slug of wine and a song about the correct terminology for your lady parts – or indeed a serenade in honour of fried-chicken shops.

The songs are catchy and fantastic, though her rapport with the band is at times a little strained and the transition sections aren’t entirely smooth. Her love/hate confessional relationship with her audience leaves us alternately delighted and horrified. Do not sit near the front if you like your lap to remain unsat upon and you object to the odd power ballad or two.

This character from Pippa Evan’s closet of aliases might not be quite perfect in her execution, but you cannot help but have immense fun watching her. And if in doubt, just sing vagina.

Read our interview with Loretta Maine where she discusses she show.