ED FRINGE 2023 REVIEW | Lady Dealer
★ ★ ★ ★
Reviewer - Beth
*Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in return for an honest review
Martha Watson Allpress’s latest poem play, Lady Dealer, follows a day in Charly’s life. It starts off the same as any other for her, she makes her coffee, she puts her music on and she starts dealing. However, when a power cut strikes the day quickly derails and Charly begins to lose her sense of purpose. Left to her own devices she dwells upon the connections she’s lost - with her ex, with her mother - the reality of her loneliness begins to set in and it becomes evident quickly that she doesn’t know how to face it.
Alexa Davies captures your attention from the first second and never lets it go. With a fast pace that rarely lets up, her performance is breathtaking. Her ability to make you laugh with one line and deliver a gut-wrenching twist with the next is outstanding. She makes Charly’s story relatable and makes her feel real.
Lady Dealer is raw, funny and undoubtedly human. The final line of the show ‘I’m Fine’ is handed out on badges as you leave, but if this is in an effort to make it stay with you, it is unnecessary. The poignance and intimacy of this performance has already ensured it will.
Lady Dealer is playing at Roundabout @ Summerhall at 4pm every day (excluding Tuesdays) until 27th August.
More information and tickets are available here: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/lady-dealer.
