Yo Girl!

In this biographical one-woman show, Korean adoptee Natalie Kim realises she must confront her past amid her New York surroundings. This run of performances at the Fringe marks the European premiere of her sell-out New York show.

As the exclamatory title indicates, Kim is full of confident stage presence: her own character that she portrays is sassy and liberated – as one of her three mothers (birth, adopted and step-mother) remarks, she'd be a beautiful girl if she didn't talk so much. Yet it is in these well-observed character voices where Kim's talents lie: she spins anecdotes with legions of characters and, by capturing a subtle nuance of tone, manages to make each utterly distinct from the last.

As Kim learns more about herself, she gradually transforms from loud and lively to self-aware and slightly vulnerable; it is here where the show takes on a more tongue-in-cheek philosophical edge. Her acknowledgement that being the fusion of Eastern culture and Western education should be something to be cherished, not ashamed of, is particularly insightful. It would perhaps be worth delving a little deeper into these very human thoughts. In those rare moments when Kim contradicts the happy-go-lucky sheen of her character, you sit up and pay attention.

Although she embraces the Korean culture her birthright has bestowed, it is clear that Kim's heart is firmly set in New York. A good thing, too – it is her playful, buoyant spirit and the American gloss of self-deprecating humour that makes this production especially fun.