Review: Myra Dubois: We Wish You A Myra Christmas

High camp and big on laughs

★★★
comedy review (edinburgh) | Read in About 2 minutes
Published 09 Aug 2018

You've got to hand it to Myra Dubois: it's an audacious move to bring a Chrismas show to the Fringe. And then put it on in the Wee Cow, scientifically proven to be the hottest venue in Edinburgh. As Dubois might say, my chestnuts were roasted. Except Dubois' catty barbs are a cut above that – in quality, that is, not taste. Whatever the festive equivalent of the gutter is, Dubois is in it.

As audious a move as it is, Dubois largely pulls it off (sorry). Essentially, Dubois (the drag creation of Gareth Joyner) is having a bit of a joke with us, seeing how far and how out-of-context she can push an hour of smutty snipes. Pretty far, it turns out. If your act consists of slagging off your game audience, it doesn't really matter what month it is.

Sure, she falls back on the clichés at times – the "where are you from...did they let you out?" one-two rears its hoary head. Also, so many easy cum jokes leave a bitter taste in the mouth. But there aren't many acts on the circuit with an original line on vegans. Even fewer able to riff easily about an audience member who reveals that they subscribe to Wicca beliefs. Those Wicca jokes – they just don't come free and easy.

This isn't big or clever, and Dubois is utterly unafraid of drawing attention to her similarity to a pantomime dame. She isn't wrong, either. But it is high camp and big on laughs. Those jingle bells? It's just the sound of a seasoned pro smashing it.