I hope I will be forgiven for my interpretation of the title – I had expected a different show from Sarah Keyworth exploring gender, identity, and sexuality following on from her two previous runs in Edinburgh. And, because Sarah herself looks like a pre-Raphaelite young man with her serious expression and foppish hair, I had expected a development of the theme. Sarah has mentioned being non-binary in public before but is happy to answer to all pronouns – there is nothing lost about her at all.
Instead, this is a totally grounded story about human loss and love (a recurring theme at this Fringe, unsurprisingly) and how we can overcome personal tragedy and go beyond it to work again. No clowns, a bit of a stunt ending (no spoilers) and a narrative chock full of meaningful material based on Sarah’s last two difficult years.
Sarah is a hugely engaging and likeable performer. Despite her slightly brooding persona, she is light and entertaining and makes friends with her audience from the minute she’s on stage. I love her exploration of the complexities of life and, regardless of your sexuality, we can all relate to the emotions she displays around her relationships with old and new partners, flat-sharing with family members and the loss of her best friend who, without giving the game away, I believe to be the inspiration for the show’s title.
The gentle ranting about the cost of therapy and the need for it following a bereavement, hits both a raw nerve and taps into the realities of dealing with grief. It is difficult to be funny when your whole frame of reference changes and Sarah deals sensitively with this topic without scrimping on the humour.
Having seen Sarah’s act develop since she was our Stage Award runner up in the 2015 Funny Women Awards, this is a really ‘grown up’ show with just the right amount of swagger and swish to appeal to a mainstream audience. I am privileged to have seen Sarah right at the beginning of her comedy career and she has developed a comedic maturity that will stand her in very good stead.
This is a show that you will find yourself thinking about for days afterwards. I’ve said it before but this is what Edinburgh is all about – putting something together that people take away and ‘unpack’ for themselves and then talk about it with their family and friends. This is the kind of show you’ll want to see again when it tours because it will develop with changes and new material to enjoy. A good show is never static and will grow with its audiences – Lost Boy will do just that.
★★★★★
Sarah Keyworth: Lost Boy is at the Pleasance Courtyard, Cabaret Bar at 17:40 until 28th August. For tickets visit EdFringe.com.
