So many brilliant shows, so little time. On my last day at the Edinburgh Fringe I finally managed to catch Jo Neary's Wasp In A Cardigan, one of the shows that was on my to-see list four weeks earlier before I'd even arrived at the fringe.
And I was so glad I made it. Neary is one of those rare talents that isn't new and doesn't quite fit into a mainstream box and thus tends to get overlooked, although she did get a Perrier Best Newcomer award nomination back in 2004.
It is hard to define what exactly Neary is. Part character comic, part outsider artist, but whatever she does she is utterly brilliant at it. Wasp in a Cardigan is loosely about a fundraising event to release a wasp back into the wild (I could be slightly wrong, it's been a long month...).
Neary plays characters, dons some varied wigs and does all sorts of things onstage, including some stand-up and stories about growing up in Cornwall and some absolutely fantastic songs complete with interpretative dance. The whole thing is held together by her stiff-upper-lipped Celia Johnson character as MC, who you may have come across in the past.
Highlights include a marvellous reboot of The Carpenters' Close To You (shades of Lee Evans' Bohemian Rhapsody in her literal act out) and a re-imagining of Kate Bush singing a song about the odd bits you keep in that kitchen drawer with a little bit of smutty innuendo added for good measure. Imagine Michael McIntyre writing the lyrics for one of those dressing up songs at the end of The Two Ronnies.
Elsewhere she regales us with tales of moving from Brighton to Eastbourne and does a bit of politics about what it is like being a female character comedian on the circuit. There's a sketch about blokey stand-ups backatage who dent your confidence and a financial breakdown of the limited openings for a female character comic. Can't headline, can't be first on, can't MC, which cuts out a lot of career-making, money-earning options. Neary clearly loves what she does though and would not do anything else.
This is comedy with so much detail lurking in it it might go over your head. There were a couple of blank young faces during a spot-on Bjork impression and I have to admit the nuances of an XTC pastiche probably passed me by even though I'm quite au fait with the Swindon band's work.
The result is a show that's but both cuddly and uncompromising. Neary is a terrific mimic who does things her way, she just needs a few more people to get on board, well, maybe a few thousand more, and she could go from cult to national treasure. Which is where she really should be.
Find out what Jo Neary is up to here.
four stars
