Bridget Christie: An Ungrateful Woman

121329 original

There aren't many comedians willing to deliver a set ostensibly centred on female genital mutiliation. Following her success last year Bridget Christie returns to delve deeper into debates about feminism and patriarchy, despite critics' dumb assumptions that she'd "done" that subject. This show recounts what it means to have become the face of feminist comedy, and how legitimate concerns about gender equality don't evaporate because a comedian had a hit.

Christie's ability to unpick the absurdities of sexism are now well-honed, and a sequence which replaces the legal system's treatment of rape victims with those of hate crimes spears the farcical manner in which abused women are persecuted. She's also clear on the burgeoning impact her comedy is having, and she worries that engaging with the government about this topic might result in her becoming part of the establishment. It's invigorating to see a comedian comfortable with being political, who assumes her anger and integrity are not a barrier to the comedic.

A committed and skilful performer, it's a shame that Christie doesn't find a more successful structure to mesh all of this together. Much of the set skewers the absurd representation of women in adverts, but this is surely a topic too easy for someone with evident talent in comically unpicking complex ideas. As you leave the show you're given literature on female genital mutilation; it would have been good if the gig has been braver in covering this topic on stage, rather than on the way out.