No relation to the new pop musical show currently gaining attention up in Edinburgh, this Hot Mess is part burlesque, part clown, and part stand-up against the background of a serious issue, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Georgia Polly-Taylor, writer and actor, is one of those performers who clicks with and quickly commands a room. Indeed, if you are on the front row you may find you get much closer to her than you might expect.
This is a hard show to describe, let alone review. Coming out of character at the end, Polly-Taylor invites us to reflect on “what the f*k just happened” after an hour of scatalogical and playful absurdity.
Hot Mess refers to both the name of the aspiring model the play is about, and the aftermath of a particularly unfortunate incident of skidding on the steps of the Met Gala. The cameras are out, and so are the cat claws.
The main prop on stage is a toilet which serves as storage and manifests into a talkative spirit at one point. Hot Mess is certainly inventive with its lip-synching, ballooning, card flashing, dancing, and bowel honesty.
Big names are checked, with Daniel Craig, Kate Moss, and Anna Wintour all getting a nod. The world of fashion, celebrity, social media gossip, beauty standards, and cancellation are all covered in Hot Mess.
This is a very funny show right from the off. Nancy Hannigan directs a show that dives into the audience as games are played and secrets shared, while drawing out a very real dilemma of bathroom panic and poonami.
Hot Mess has finished its 2 day run at Camden Fringe but do follow Georgia Polly-Taylor on Instagram to find out more about a show and performer that really captures the left-field spirit of the Fringe.
5 stars.