When the whole audience gathered around outside after the performance to congratulate, hug and invite the act out for drinks, you know that you've been part of a really special show. Amy G is no diva; the relatable, friendly, self-deprecating humour means that she is our best friend as soon as she steps on stage and we only grow to love her more as the show continues.
She lets us frolic through the embarrassing moments of her chaotic life, liberating us into a life motto of #noshame.
"It's amazing what you can get away with if you wear a stupid enough costume," Amy extravagantly proclaims as she wriggles into yet another outfit. And yes, the costumes might be on a scale of ridiculous that will take some beating but Amy G is selling herself far too short if she thinks that it's the clothes that are stealing the show. Entershamement is a buffet of cabaret delights: music, dance, feathers and great comic timing.
It's been ten years since New Yorker Amy was at the Fringe and she seems to relish bringing the show, which is inspired by her performances across Europe, back here. It's about "all the stupid sh*t I normally hide", she explains, as she talks about shame, something she's noticed the British are only too eager to burden themselves with. Featuring characters such as Honalula from Honolulu, she lets us frolic through the embarrassing moments of her chaotic life, liberating us into a life motto of #noshame.
Have you ever seen someone tap dance in roller skates, whilst playing the ukulele? How about a chicken dancing to MC Hammer? One minute she's a glamorous, long-legged Liza Minnelli and the next, she's standing in a pair of waist high granny pants with a bra on her head. This is a truly unique show but that doesn't mean that its success is based on novelty. Indeed, so polished and confident an act is Amy, you could forget to notice that she's got great vocals, legs that high-kick to her ears and entertains us fluently in four languages.
Can you get dressed with such showmanship that it deserves an applause? Amy G can. It's sexy and illicit, as cabaret should be, but it isn’t smutty and we never feel the need to cringe. In fact, we feel totally safe with her and, despite the show lasting 75 minutes, it flew by and the audience didn’t want it to end, clinging to the room and Amy as we were eventually ushered out. And, yes, she did do that rendition of America the Beautiful on a kazoo (I’m referring to the one with almost 800,000 Youtube hits) but, as infamous as it is, Amy could afford to leave it out. She is talented, diverse and hilarious enough to not need to play plastic wind instruments in unusual orifices to draw people in.
This was one of the most empowered, well executed and entertaining cabaret acts I've ever seen, and I am a very proud new member of Team #noshame.
