Sofie Hagen @ Bedlam Theatre
Sofie Hagen's trip down memory lane will have you both laughing and gasping in horror
The intriguing title of Sofie Hagen's third show relates to the boiled frogs experiment first conducted by Friedrich Goltz in 1869, and becomes a metaphor about her grandmother’s – or ‘momom’s’ – abusive relationship with her second husband.
As you enter, we are handed a flyer with a warning that the show is about emotional abuse. And its initial idea came from the more recent past, with Hagen spurred on by a comment made by another comedian at their Edinburgh show last year regarding fat-phobia.
Recalling memories of her step-grandfather from her childhood, Hagen explains how she only came to realise in her adult life how certain behaviours had affected her. She discusses memories of her ‘momdad’ (it’s a Danish thing apparently), from his tales of being a war hero to an odd story about a chicken, and returns to her favourite topic – the boyband Westlife – with an account of an outburst she had, aged 13, after being asked to sit on Brian McFadden's lap at a meet and greet.
On occasions it is more poignant than funny, but Hagen’s skill is in her storytelling and she manages to tackle a tricky subject matter delicately without pushing it too heavily on to the audience.
Sofie Hagen: Dead Baby Frog, Bedlam Theatre, until 28 Aug, 2.00pm, £8-10