Kerry Gilbert Gives Love a Bad Name

No stranger in Comedyland, Kerry Gilbert boasts a CV that's teeming with TV appearances and live circuit collaborations. But this is the first time she has flown solo at the Fringe. Her act consists of a series of character sketches revolving around the ups and down of love. Well, actually, mostly just the downs.

Gilbert's characters are often funny simply because they have been scripted into existence. There's Edith, the incongruously lascivious seven-year-old, whose unique brand of Franglais is spoken with hilarious candour. Then there's the horsey housewife who can't bring herself to decapitate her zombified husband. Gilbert even dons a pair of fluffy ears to play the guide dog who has fallen in love with her master. And yes, she goes for the groaningly blatant love-is-blind gag. Equally obvious are the character Pauline's “interpretations” of classic romantic films. But poking fun at the ridiculousness of Pretty Woman and Titanic tickles the audience nonetheless.

The blend of one-liners, absurd characters and even a rather silly burlesque song, is reminiscent of Monty Python's Flying Circus. But whilst each sketch may have an amusing premise, Gilbert's jokes just aren't consistently funny. She's an extremely talented and remarkably versatile actress delivering a solid performance, but her material falls flat on the side of caution. You get the feeling that beneath the largely tame exterior lurks something much more outrageous, more surreal. But unfortunately for now, Gilbert shies a little too far from the edge.