Review: EDINBURGH 2024: SIX CHICK FLICKS . . ., Underbelly, Bristo Square

“Are women ever really free?”

Six Chick Flicks, less commonly known by its full name, Six Chick Flicks . . . or a Legally Blonde Pretty Woman Dirty Danced on the Beaches while writing a Notebook on the Titanic, written and performed by Kerry Ipema and KK Apple, takes audiences through the world of some of their favourites of  “the pantheon of cinema that is chick flicks,” lovingly parodied by two fans. 

We begin with the classic of Titanic, with Ipema and Apple taking us on a whirlwind adventure, starting with a parody of “My Heart Will Go On” and including a hilarious interpretation of the painting scene where Rose is wearing a t-shirt with the image of a bikini on it. We are introduced to the “Rose Effect,” a term coined by Ipema and Apple in which women in chick flicks are only able to see their own beauty through a man’s eyes. The duo then jump straight into Pretty Woman, particularly focusing on how there’s a blackout anytime the characters have sex and calling out the problematic nature of the iconic “Big Mistake” scene.

Beaches was the one film I had not seen before, so I was entirely relying on Ipema and Apple to explain the plot of the movie. Luckily, the two do a fantastic job of summarising each of the films, introducing us to each of the characters and their motivations within minutes before jumping into jokes. There was a great audience participation bit where Ipema and Apple asked audience members to raise their hands if they had done specific things, ending with, “Keep your hands raised if you slept with your best friend’s partner,” showing just how troubled the friendship in Beaches is. 

After Beaches it’s Legally Blonde, my personal favourite, and I loved seeing Ipema and Apple portray the different characters, especially Warner (who gets the last name Trump in this parody) and Paulette, originally played by Jennifer Coolidge. Then, we’re off to the world of The Notebook with Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. This isn’t one of my favourite chick flicks but I thoroughly enjoyed Ipema and Apple’s parody of it, especially with callbacks to other films like Titanic. 

As a surprise treat, we are given a seventh parody, this time improvised on the spot once the film is selected by the audience. At the performance I saw, the audience voted for The Devil Wears Prada, which led to a hilarious interpretation that references the flamboyancy of Stanley Tucci as well as a love story between Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) and Andrea Sachs (Anne Hathaway).

Finally, we dive right into Dirty Dancing, which starts as silly as the other movies, including some hilarious references to Jerry Orbach in Law and Order, but then takes a turn as Ipema and Apple turn their attention to one of the movie’s key plot points of abortion. The atmosphere becomes sombre as the pair express their disappointment with the government of the United States and its recent decision to overturn Roe v Wade, meaning that abortions are no longer a constitutional right. It’s a surprisingly powerful ending for a parody show but quite impactful, especially for those who might be unfamiliar with the current atmosphere in the States. 

Ultimately, Six Chick Flicks . . . is a brilliant and loving parody of the genre of chick flicks while still sharing important messages about the way women are portrayed in the media and on abortion rights, especially in the United States. Ipema and Apple are brilliant performers and I can’t wait to see what they do next!

Six Chick Flicks . . . ran until 25 August at Underbelly, Bristo Square - Cowbarn

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