12.98°C My final show at this year’s Colchester Fringe was An Evening with Nana Funk at The Dragonfly Lounge. Billed as a musical comedy starring Nana Funk, an ageing cabaret star, burlesque icon and political firebrand in sequin slippers, this show promised plenty of sparkle and satire – and it certainly delivered. I’d heard good things from others who had seen it, so my expectations were high, and Nana didn’t let me down.
As you enter the auditorium, Nana is already rushing about in her tabard, dressed as a cleaner, offering audience members a notepad and pencil to write questions about any subject. These can then be dropped into a box by the side of the stage marked “Ask Nana.” It’s a clever device that immediately gets the audience involved and sets the tone for what’s to come.
Nana’s personality is so warm and engaging that you’re with her from the start. She’s from Merseyside, and her repartee is razor-sharp, as is her singing voice. Whether performing her own songs or rewriting lyrics to well-known tunes, the result is the same: delightful ditties delivered with wit and heart, often hiding some surprisingly profound messages. Nana also plays the ukulele, which always draws me in, as my dad used to play one too, though not to the same standard! She answers the “Ask Nana” questions in song, improvised on the night, and the one that made me laugh out loud was: “What advice would you give to a young person wanting to enter the creative industries?” Nana paused, strummed the uke and sang, “Don’t do it!”
Nana then does a bit of “cleaning” on stage and around the audience before disrobing down to her substantial underwear and donning a sequinned frock and the iconic red sequin slippers. We’re treated to a couple of songs from Tough Old Bird, the musical she’s written, before a stupendous finale featuring Nana’s version of Freed From Desire by Gala, which had the audience on their feet – myself included – joining in and freestyling with abandon.
Nana Funk is funky, funny and fabulous. If you get the chance to see her, don’t miss it.
Review by Tim Young
