★★★★★
Of all the live stand-up shows I’ve ever seen, Cat Cohen: Broad Strokes has stolen the title of my favourite. I’d never even heard her name before, but I will certainly not forget it. In the show, Cohen tells the story of how her planned 2023 tour of Europe was scuppered when, at 30-years-old, she suffered a stroke caused by a congenital heart defect. Through an hour of outstanding comic performance and original songs (accompanied by the marvellously talented Frazer Hadfield on piano), she relays the personal emotional upheaval the event triggered, from the despair of waiting for her health insurance to come through to the triumph of realising she is no “normal girl”.
Pitched to an audience aware of youth speak and other facets of modern culture, Cohen utilises a brilliantly crafted faux-narcissism and rapid-fire delivery, evoking so deftly the increasingly hyperactive, hyper-individualistic world we live in. Her ability to ping between comments on her own inner thoughts and those of the audience within a few seconds, all the while keeping a steady handle of her narrative, is nothing short of astonishing. Cohen’s understanding of her audience is infallible, and the exceptional intelligence underpinning her writing and performance is plain. To use a cliché, she makes it look easy.
I cannot honestly say that Cohen’s style nor her material are for everyone. Perhaps I connected so well with her show because I’m a similar age to her and, like Cohen, I consider myself a hypochondriac. However, this is a seriously talented performer who knows entirely what she is about. In a rare occurrence, she managed to grip my attention and maintain it for the entire show. My only complaint is that it ended.
Cat Cohen: Broad Strokes is on at Pleasance One at Pleasance Courtyard until August 24th
