EDINBURGH 2016 - Review: A CUP OF TEA WITH LADY C, Gilded Balloon Teviot, 10 August
The Australian outback did not know what it was in for when Lady Colin Campbell entered last year. And neither did the vast majority of I'm A Celebrity viewers. Almost instantly she became the favourite with killer one-liners and strong opinions. It is this reignited fame which has brought A Cup of Tea With Lady C to this year's Edinburgh Fringe.
Stepping on stage head to toe in bling is to be expected, and so is the casual drop of well-known names. However, for someone so unsubtle, her Fringe debut is rather tame. The one-woman show takes a while to warm up - not only in entertainment value, but also in confidence, as Lady C lost her place and had to be prompted on various occasions.
Even when she regains regal control and speaks in a confident natural tone, the script is still wandering. Starting with her time in the jungle, which holds little new information, we are taken around the world through her high glamour life. It's a life that was a rollercoaster, but the show feels more like a scenic monorail. Her stories could pull at your heartstrings or leave you clutching your pearls, but not in this format with this writing.
The 'cup of tea' element is the most confusing, and the teapot appears to have been included just for the rhyme in the title. A Q&A may not have been fruitful due to the quick audience turnaround, but the answers felt distinctly scripted and rehearsed rather than the spontaneity expected.
With her first show under her tiara, and a willingness to return, this could be something special next year. More scandal, rehearsal and strengthened theatrical flair could give her five-star life the show it deserves.
For those wanting a little celebrity glamour in their time at the Fringe, A Cup of Tea With Lady C is worth a try. Unfortunately, unlike the jewels around her neck, this show is a diamond in a lot of rough.
A Cup of Tea With Lady C runs at Gilded Balloon Teviot until 28 August
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