Over the last few years, Jain Edwards has gotten married, been ousted from the comedy circuit, and made her name on the zorbing scene. Except she hasn’t really – or has she? Edwards’ She-Devil sees the Welsh-born, Manchester-based comedian combine reality and fiction in an offbeat hour of stand-up with a serious point at its core.
The show opens with a poem about the folk tale concept of the she-devil, setting up the hour with a mythical quality that chimes perfectly with Edwards’ style; her lilting delivery and even-tempered presence can make it feel like she’s spinning a fairytale more than doing stand-up – except that the laughs come thick and fast, often from the most unexpected places.
And there’s bite beneath the smiles and whimsy: the folkloric she-devil is associated with chaos, darkness and evil, a misogynistic trope in the vein of the femme fatale or the wicked stepmother. Edwards plays with the concept here to effectively explore misogyny, objectification and power through a series of fictional male characters. Their names are surreal; their actions laughable – and yet they’re all too real at the same time, Edwards’ quirky brand of stand-up brilliantly combining hilarity with a real and impactful message.
Jain Edwards: She-Devil, Underbelly Bristo Square, until Aug 24 (not 11), 4.15pm