Live Performance Review: Francesca Martinez: What The Fuck Is Normal? (Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2014) Monday 11.08.2014 17:30 Lomond Theatre, Edinburgh International Conference Centre (Unreserved Seating), Edinburgh
Earlier in the year, when the Fringe programme came out, I became aware of Francesca's show and book at the same time. The book has the same title as the show, and both have the offending word in the usual '****' form. I purchased the book in Waterstones, where the person serving felt it necessary to inform me that they have the title as 'What The Hell Is Normal?'.
The book is a very good and fairly easy read, and accounts Francesca's life including very frank and insightful depictions of prejudice she has faced. For those unaware as to who Francesca is, she is a comedian who lives with society's issues as to her physicality. She terms herself as wobbly, as this is how she has always seen herself; she has cerebral palsy. For those who like the work of Ricky Gervais, Francesca appears in the episode of 'Extras' which Kate Winslet is in.
Francesca is someone I was curious about seeing for some years. The performance was very engaging, funny, with plenty to think upon. I did initially feel as though Francesca appeared a bit nervous, though then she appeared to relax and the show quickly settled into being highly enjoyable.
Those who know me know I always try to go front and centre at performances. This is such a reliable fact that I have previously had my uncle ask me if I already had a ticket for a particular show as he went to book and saw one seat taken in the middle of the front row and thought that must be...sure enough it was. I, unlike many, don't have apprehensions about comedians engaging with me, though today was a bit different.
It got to a bit in the show where Francesca is detailing an uncomfortable moment she had with someone in her car - yes she can drive. The person she was with, she was very fond of due to inspiring words that person had expressed to her. Francesca, nineteen at the time, had written him a poem and gave it to him to read which he did in the car. The poem which I had already read in the book is not untypical of an inexperienced young person. Francesca asked if I would mind coming up onto stage, there was a chair behind her's, which she asked for me to pull round and sit next to her. When sat next to her, she asked if I could read out the poem, as that man had done when sat next to her in the car.
There was a book signing afterwards, I was first in line. She thanked me for taking part, commented that I appeared very nervous and asked why. I know it was not because of who she is, as Francesca appears to be a lovely person. I could remember a sense of the poem before going on stage, and when previous reading it of having a sense of embarrassment which comes when someone lays themselves bare as she had done and you know it is not going to turn out well. The intrepidation was due to not being able to remember exactly what happened after the man had read the poem and therefore where my being on stage may lead. I told her it was just because I was not sure where it would lead. (I got my book signed just next to where that poem is, rather than at the front. When I asked if she could sign there, she said 'well it is your poem now' or words to that effect).
After the show there was a Q&A hosted by Marcus Bridgestock, which enabled more eloquent off-the-cuff riffing on politics of disability and other matters. There was also discussion about the horrible idea of being an inspiration, which Francesca is very uncomfortable with, as in her eyes she is quite lazy and just living day-to-day trying to ignore her condition as much as possible - this is quite a common response to living with a condition, there are many days where I don't for a moment consider my dyslexia.
The fact is though, by her giving voice to her reasoned views and justified strong responses to experiencing prejudice, she is a form of inspiration. Don't worry though, I don't mean a nausea inducing inspiration, this is not the U.S.of A.. There is nothing twee or sugar coated about Francesca, just a real funny person with a weakness for bare-foot Irish poets (see the show to understand).
Rating: 08/10.
