Rosie is a likeable character with an infectious smile and a laid back approach that is warming for the audience. Her charm brings the room alive with support and excitement for what is to come. The venue itself is a shipping container, and the intimate nature of it is so perfectly appropriate for Rosie's set. It means you can embrace every part of the show, and it allows Rosie to interact with various audience members. The close-knit, intimate feel of the venue lends itself well to the parts where her alter ego is played through the sound system. I always love a different setting for a trip to the theatre, and Pleasance continues to do this very well.
The show is partly based on her experiences of the world as someone living with cerebral palsy. There are other themes she intertwines, but mentioning them may dampen the comedic strings she pulls throughout. It’s full of dark humour, and while you may initially reconsider going if you have a sensitive disposition, to do so is to defeat the point of the show.
Sometimes the stories aren’t excellently threaded together, but this is exceptionally rare and most of the time her comedy timing is spot on. I would say her ability to deliver jokes is better than many comedians I’ve seen. She also uses a repetition device mostly well - bringing unexpected variations to keep us on our toes. However, these can sometimes be exceptionally long winded for what amounts to a short laugh, and don't always maximise the possible impact.
The bigger problem was that around the 45-minute mark I felt her set had run its course. She did manage to find a slight second wind towards the end of the show, but the energy had definitely dipped. I think the issue was in the order of the material rather than pace, as on the whole the pacing was great and engaging.
With a bit of work on the structure perhaps this could be a really great show. Rosie clearly has a gift to be encouraged, making a very promising start with her debut hour.
Pleasance Courtyard @ 20:30
More details and tickets at: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/rosie-jones-fifteen-minutes
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