Claudia O’Doherty – The Telescope: Fringe Review

Good Scope but Lacking Focus

3/5

Claudia O’Doherty isn’t your average comedian. Following last year’s obscure outing What is Soil Erosion?, O’Doherty continues in the same vein, delivering absurd comedy that is certainly original.

Acting under the pretence that she is signed to an outlandish agency in Australia named the Nut House, she announces that part of her contractual agreement is to put on a show at the Edinburgh festival. However, as she points out, it was never implied that the show had to be comedy.

O’Doherty uses this ploy as a means to present her play The Telescope, which she labels under the guise of ‘difficult theatre’. A surreal and arty venture, she combines audio, video and rudimentary costumes to produce one of the most unconventional love tales you are ever likely to see. A feigned hiccup in the production sees O’Doherty have to stop the play despite all the technical elements being supposedly pre-programmed. The result is a clever blend of out of context media that she fills in with various amusing comments.

Undeniably weird, O’Doherty’s interesting mix of characters and playful whimsy makes for an entertaining – if not often laugh out loud – hour of comedy. However, it is clear that the new comic is still finding her footing. She certainly possesses bags of potential, but as of yet has not quite found her voice.

Taken from Broadway Baby, published Aug 2012.