Emma McAlpine reviews the debut solo show from character comic Anna Morris.
“And you, yes you hiding at the back! Stand up.” Oh Christ. In my vain attempt to go unnoticed in the fourth row, I have caught Anna Morris’ eye and now am being thanked, somewhat sarcastically, for making so many cupcakes for her wedding.
Eh? Well, Morris is in character as ‘Georgina’, a Putney-based, slightly terrifying PwC employee, making an unorthodox speech at her wedding. Various members of the audience are being ‘thanked’ for their contribution to her special day, from the florist who left thorns on the roses to the baker (yep that’s me) who made too many cakes. From her drawn-out vowels (“over heeyaah”) to the fake-smile-followed-by-killer-death-stare combo, she brilliantly captures the posh Bridezilla.
Georgina is one of several characters Morris plays throughout the show, which also includes ‘Janine’, a northern rep for a budget cruise liner; 'Taylor Tyler', a whiny Aussie presenter for a catty fashion show, and 'Jemima' – a petrified student attempting to pass some sort of stand-up comedy exam. The bad stand-up routine isn’t necessarily a new one, but Morris puts her own stamp on the idea, turning a crowd member into her examiner and answering heckles in a woefully unnatural way. Then there’s the anti-marriage campaigner who wants all women to remain single, with an ingenious male substitute for us girls to keep any lonely feelings at bay (and it’s not what you’re thinking).
Scattered amongst these deftly-drawn caricatures, are some advert spoofs which see Morris take a satirical swipe at the beauty industry. Adorning the stage is the show mascot Dolly, a ‘Girl’s World’-type plastic doll’s head; and Morris tells us we too can look like Dolly if we just buy into the ‘face sock’ that gets rid of saggy skin, or the 'punch gloss' that will have you resembling Angelina Jolie after a boxing match.
Not only does Morris inhabit her characters convincingly, exuding plenty of physical comedy through her mannerisms and facial expressions, but she has also written an excellent script for them, with lots of funny lines and sound bites to enjoy.
A neatly tied together show from a talented character comic, this is a triumphant debut from Anna Morris. ‘One to watch’ indeed. 
Anna Morris: Dolly Mixture is at the Voodoo Rooms as part of PBH's Free Fringe, at 3:55pm until Saturday 25th August.
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