As the Willie Loman quote goes “Attention must be paid”. This is no more true than in an audience with the formidable drag queen Myra Dubois whose debut to the comedy section at the Fringe is modestly named
What will my tenner get me here that I can’t get for free at the Two Brewers in Clapham? The answer to that is plenty.
A mix of terrible singing, bad poetry and some of the corniest jokes, it sounds awful, but it’s all in the delivery, and the delivery is brilliant. Myra demands your attention. The humour is absurd at times, with echoes of Charlie Chuck’s nonsense repetition gags, and self-aware quips about the structure of the comedy we’re watching. Her acid tongue reminds us just how famous she is, but is also quick at self effacing. Myra is, by her own admission, Rotherham’s least celebrated daughter.
Full disclosure here. I’ve seen Myra perform in the cabaret pubs in London many times, so I approached this performance with an obvious question. What will my tenner get me here that I can’t get for free at the Two Brewers in Clapham? The answer to that is plenty.
Whereas Myra’s pub gigs are more or less drunk crowd control with songs, this is a properly scripted stand up show. Scripted, but Myra’s experience working tough rooms of inebriated punters gives her the ability to deal with any situation thrown at her without missing a beat. There are plenty of adlibs in tonight’s set, but you never feel she’s picking up where she left off – it’s all just Myra.
After a game of Play Your Cards Correctly with audience member Andrew (his name was Simon, but that didn’t seem to matter to Myra), we oblige our host by demanding an encore. Fans of Myra – the AdMyras out there – will be delighted to know it’s her signature tune, I Know Him So Well. Attention was well paid.
