Bridget Christie is an invigorating start to your day at the Fringe. She practically bounces onto the stage, full of energy and enthusiasm. “What’s the point in being all liberated and free if I’m too knackered to enjoy it?”
Christie makes no bones about the subject matter closest to her heart. This is a show firmly rooted in the feminist movement, but don’t mistake this for being a worthy, depressing show, as it is far from that. Nor is it merely a rant about everyday sexism and misogyny, as easy as that would be to do. No, it’s a spirited, inspirational and deeply funny stream of consciousness, pointing out what we already know; that feminism is not yet done and dusted. She reminds us that feminism is not a fad like Angry Birds, although she does acknowledge “it can involve a lot of angry birds.” She admits to previously having been a part time feminist, but it was what a man did in the women’s studies section of the bookshop that pushed her over the edge into full-time feminism.
Bridget is quick to poke fun at anyone who gets in the way of gender equality, but she is by no means a man-hater, having married and procreated with one. However, middle aged straight white men do come in for a bit of flack, but those in the audience who fall within that category take this in good humour. (Or their wives make them take it in good humour.)
Steve Davis also comes within her cross hairs for his misguided comments about women and their mental focus, leading to a lot of ridicule about the point of snooker.
She does make some serious points however, like the fact that 200 Nigerian schoolgirls are still missing, and a pregnant Pakistani women was stoned to death by her own family because she chose who to marry. There’s a fabulous routine about how British sexism isn’t really that bad, when compared to say, Saudi sexism. “It’s not a competition!” she blusters.
Christie lets loose on the advertising industry and points out that they think there are only two types of women. They can either be wanton or vacuous, and if they deviate from this people don’t know what to make of it. Her piece about Gisele’s splay-legged bikini advert is priceless, involving on-stage contortions and references to molluscs.
Christie is polished and professional, and an incredibly animated stage presence. “Think about my husband” she tells the audience. “You only get this for an hour a day, he gets it for 24 hours.”
Bridget Christie –An Ungrateful Woman. The Stand Comedy Club Until 25th August
