Sofie Hagen @ Bedlam Theatre

Sofie Hagen's trip down memory lane will have you both laughing and gasping in horror

Review by Nadia Younes | 04 Aug 2017

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

http://www.theskinny.co.uk/festivals/edinburgh-fringe/comedy