Tamar Broadbent's All by my Selfie seamlessly combines quick wit with a beautiful voice. Following in the footsteps of the likes of Tim Minchin, Broadbent sings her audience through a range of unfortunate life events, placing particular emphasis on our dependency on social media. Broadbent creates many relevant jokes based on scenarios we are all too familiar with, both in and out of song, allowing her audience to get straight on board with her.
In an hour-long show there was a drinking game, backing dancers, a sing along and a tinder request from an audience member.
Using her wealth of personal experiences Broadbent makes light of fact that she is blonde, but true to her style she does not convey this in a traditional way: The audience is reduced to laughter by her identification of "blonde" problems, for example, she daily chooses an expression before drawing on her eyebrows.
The songs in the show are extremely catchy and the lyrics very entertaining, particularly The Tube Ride of Shame and Lightweight. There is a small amount of swearing in the performance, but this does not take away from its humour. The songs, both composed and performed by Broadbent, confirm that she certainly possesses a great deal of talent.
The audience interaction in this comedy show is excellent. Broadbent finds new and interesting ways to get us involved. In an hour-long show there was a drinking game, backing dancers, a sing along and a tinder request from an audience member. Broadbent's performance is very conscious of its audience and deals well with their unpredictably. She is also aware of her surroundings, including details about the intimate venue in her songs and making sure she used the stage space well with small but informative gestures.
The show is polished and of a very high standard. It plays directly to the audience but retains a clear, well-rehearsed structure. If you are free for an hour and in need of both a life check and a laugh, then All by my Selfie is the show for you.
