Liz Guterbock is your classic American in the UK – she’s positive, friendly, and, as the title of her show might suggest, nice. But is she really? That’s what the audience is here to find out. As a fellow American who has been living in the UK for several years now, I found Guterbock’s show incredibly relatable, especially when it comes to how her identity, even her accent, has changed over the years. It is difficult to stay nice in a world where the bullies are always trying to knock people down, but Guterbock is determined to remain her positive, bubbly self, regardless of how toxic it might become.
There is a recurring bit in which Guterbock starts to go on a tangent about the state of American politics right now, particularly when it comes to Trump, but she then quickly cuts herself off, reminding herself of the promise she made to be positive and to not talk about politics in front of the audience. It gets repetitive at times, but there is a pay-off at the end of the show when Guterbock lets the audience know how she really feels, making for a cathartic release.
Liz Guterbock: Nice, PBH’s Free Fringe @ Southsider, until 24 Aug (not 11, 18), 7pm