Alison Spittle @ Gilded Balloon, Counting House
A strong first Edinburgh Fringe hour from Alison Spittle.
From the loveliest woman on the Fringe, ...Discovers Hawaii is an understated hour about mental health. A friend told her not to expose the theme of the show in the title, instead going for something a little off-kilter. And it certainly works.
Giving the audience a flowery lei as they enter and with a stage strewn with beach inflatables, the content is the ultimate juxtaposition. Denoting her two most significant breakdowns, spurred by her grandmother’s inevitable death and a spate of burglaries, Spittle’s delivery is very endearing. The lightness of her comedic touch is as light as the children’s lilo (looking remarkably like an air-filled sanitary pad) which she picks up mid-set.
It’s a genteel and charming hour which also combats the sinking feeling often felt at the end of similar shows. This is mainly through the (hopefully now-patented) idea of Jokeyoke; whereby a set-up for a joke is told through riddle and the audience gets to shout out the punchline. This segment does feel a little incongruous, but like any beach holiday, you just go with the flow.
Overall, a smart debut which entices the average joe to explore their own forays into mental health, balanced with hearty chuckles. Spittle is someone soon to be in high demand.
Alison Spittle Discovers Hawaii, Gilded Balloon at The Counting House (Attic 1), 3-29 Aug, 1.45 pm, £5 / PWYW.