Review by Dave Hampson

The introduction is one of the most desperate openings to a show that you may ever see, with Pattie Brewster literally hyperventilating in a creepy, desperate nature to win the audience over. It’s good and also, if read between the lines, a total and impressive act to get the audience to buy into the theme of the show. Pattie, in her short life has supposedly only had one friend, Tanya, who will be an ever present strand during the show.

After about ten minutes we are shown a video on the big screen taped before her journey to Edinburgh which graphically portrays the sad and lonely life of a young woman whose only trusted friends are her cats. Pattie – or her creator Amy Hoggart – is obviously one of the most adept users of PowerPoint on the Fringe. The projector is in constant use throughout the hour, and the fact that she delivers her set from directly in front of the screen adds and eerie lighting effect which, whether deliberate or not, is very striking.

On stage she wears what appears to be a pair of slippers as if we are being entertained at her own house. It’s a nice touch. Adding to her theme of desperation is the bag of sweets being handed round the 40-strong audience and even cold hard cash in the form of a handful of loose change. Neither of these made it to the back of the room.

PowerPoint is a much used tool in modern stand-up but Pattie’s use of it is impressive and skilful. The big screen is constantly flowing with suggestions, pleas and observations. It becomes a sidekick, and a good sidekick at that.

Another five-minute video proves to be the strongest point of the show. This one has Pattie, with Tanya as camera operator, doing the kind of surreal vox-pop with the public which might be familiar from TV. However, this is no poor imitation. This is as good as it gets when it comes to asking unsuspecting members of the public what appear to be sensible questions but are in fact total nonsense.

Pattie also finds time in this wonderfully full hour to demonstrate her considerable poetic skills, And in the final part of the show she brings on a plain doll, which she manipulates to engineer her perfect friend, and then manipulates it again to make her nightmare friend. For this she sticks on name tags, trainers and other sundries which work excellently at proving her point.

Going by this performance, Pattie Brewster should, and probably does have no problem making friends. She has the charm of Lucy Porter and the potential to reach even higher on the comedy ladder. It was a genuine pleasure to spend an hour with her.

Review date: 19 Aug 2012
Reviewed by: Dave Hampson
Reviewed at: PBH's Free Fringe @ Banshee Labyrinth