Edinburgh Fringe 2019: Josie Long review – Mischievous new mother is joyously woke in every way
Josie Long’s shows have often been about how much she cares about the world. Now she has more reason than ever to care. She became a mother 13 months ago, and following a break she is back with Tender, in which she finds shards of light in dark times.
A significant chunk of her show is taken up with an account of her 50-hour labour. Childbirth might be a well-covered subject, yet you can always rely on Long to have an original, idiosyncratic angle, whether it is dubbing her stabbing contractions “Michael Gove” or recalling how she surreptitiously shared her pain-relieving gas with partner Jonny.
While she might joke that she has barely slept for the last year, onstage Long is as playful and match-fit as ever, talking about trying out “hippy s***” — hypnobirthing — confessing to a hardcore Capri Sun addiction and admitting that she only conceived because her contraception app let her down.
But behind the mischief there is pain, too. And not just the pain of Michael Gove repeatedly poking her in the back. Climate change makes her fear for her child’s future. She sees Greta Thunberg as a beacon of sense.
Long also speaks lots of sense herself. She is articulate, passionate and intense, but heartwarmingly funny, too. And maybe a tiny bit earnest at times.
Given that she has been sleep-deprived since summer 2018, she is truly woke in every way.
Until Aug 25 (0131 226 0000, edfringe.com). Mar 14, Blackheath Halls, SE3 (020 8463 0100, blackheathhalls.com)
