Clementine: Girl Failure, Disney Princess or Clueless Privileged Brat? (Fringe review) 4 Stars

4 Stars

Rosalie Minnitt brings her not-so-noble woman, Clementine, back to the Fringe. Like for many artists before her, the fear of the sequel was quite real. Will it even hold up to the original? The truth is, it will if you still have something to say, and Clementine still has so much up her sleeve. She has not become better or grown, and is now destitute in the big city, torn between a brewing revolution and the petty drama of her own life—like the feud with her old best friend, Satsuma (pun intended).

At first glance, one might say this is a show for the girls, but that would be needless gatekeeping. Men can enjoy it just as much. It is a comedy that works for everyone, but it feels particularly relevant if you are a ‘modern woman.’

It perfectly captures the ambition and push we feel to do something with our lives, to make our voices heard, and what that means in terms of sacrificing our relationships and family to it. It reflects the feeling of being torn between not wanting to need male attention, and feeling like your whole life is centred around men, alongside the needless female rivalry that still feels pushed onto us.

Clementine is silly, where Minnitt is incredibly clever. She chose to deliver hard-hitting social and political truths through this clueless young woman with a silver spoon in her mouth, making it lighter and more palatable for the audience. Her comedy relies on her quick delivery and snappy movements, proving to be as much a work of acting as of comedic writing. She embodies a Disney Princess, a mean girl, and a clueless young woman all at the same time.

Minnitt did not miss the mark with this show, and the audience certainly felt like one more round of Clementine was more than appreciated.

Clementine 2, Beside at Pleasance Courtyard till 30th August