Jessica Ransom: Ransom's Million

Jessica Ransom has a (fictional) one million pounds to give away and wants it to go to a deserving home. Her job as a quality controller in a biscuit factory becomes slightly less humdrum when her boss, a Mafia aficionado, comes by the cash through some dodgy dealings and lumbers her with its safe disposal.

Ransom’s ridiculous but entertaining backstory is an ideal opportunity to showcase her obvious talent for storytelling and character comedy. The show weaves fiction and reality to the extent that it’s difficult to determine who is more deranged: the desperate personalities she has created or the real responses solicited by ads on Gumtree. Her characters are not burdened with being too realistic, with some verging on the surreal, meaning she is able to sidestep the clichés and stereotypes many sketch comics fall into headlong. Step up a Na’vi housewife who longs to be an unemployed, obese RPG geek and Ms Law, the bounty hunter who needs bail money for her boyfriend.

Her audience interaction is expertly planned and enhances rather than deviates from the narrative of the show. She is able to poke fun at herself as well as the audience, evidenced by her wry if self-critical commentary and an uncomfortably long embrace for one audience member. It is a perfectly executed performance and Ransom’s comic timing is spot on. Slick as it sounds, the show’s conclusion and Ransom’s parting shot is actually very sweet. Stumble across this show and you've won the Fringe lottery.