Merseyside-born comedian Hannah Platt cuts into the male-dominated fields of comedy and cults with her signature coy smile. Riffing with the audience as her prospective followers, she sets herself the challenge of convincing us that she is charismatic enough to initiate and lead a cult. She cites the diminutive Charles Manson whose charms far outsized his 5’2″ stature. If he can do it, so can she.
Platt loosely but compellingly brings together disparate personal experiences, from her distant relationship with her mother to her queer awakening, induced by a series of icky encounters with men. We are told that – while serving her youth as an isolated goth in a small Northern town – Platt dabbled with Scientology via the dial-up internet in her childhood home. This is where Platt could go beyond the surface; she could excavate why she was vulnerable to the allure of Scientology and what impact it had on her while her prefrontal lobe was still in development. Without that depth, the show’s narrative arc wanes somewhat.
Despite this, Platt demonstrates fierce quick wit that charms the audience for an enjoyable hour. Thank god she shows greater promise as a rising voice on the comedy circuit than in cult leadership.
Hannah Platt: Cult Classic, Pleasance Courtyard, until 30 Aug, 7.15pm