Abby Vicky-Russell’s one-person show, Gush has gone from strength to strength, with a sell-out debut, plus a run at Soho Theatre, it’s not hard to see why – this is a masterclass in character comedy.

As the audience takes their seats to watch a contemporary dance piece about pomegranates and vulvas, a leak appears above the stage, luckily Neil, the plumber, is on hand to save the day.

Neil is a middle-aged plumber from Sheffield, if you walk into any pub in the north of England you’ll find a Neil, probably drinking pints and complaining about rising electricity prices. Vicky-Russell’s drag-king performance as Neil is incredible, she incorporates no end of small details and mannerisms which bring this character to life, ensuring we recognise him, as we probably know a Neil in our own lives. From downing cups of tea to the flip phone case which only people over the age of 35 possess, the intricacies of this character are phenomenal. She perfectly captures a middle-aged, northern, white man and embodies him.

We watch as Neil interacts with the audience whilst he is supposed to be fixing the leak, a voiceover of a woman talking about her sexual assault plays at times, a glimpse into the performance we ‘should’ be watching. Although this voiceover isn’t something Neil wants to listen to, the reason for this is soon made clear as the story shifts, and there is a stark change in tone. Neil speaks of his daughter’s sexual assault, and how it broke his heart. I do feel that this comes slightly too late into the piece, which means this important discussion brought up has no time to breathe or to be fully explored.

Gush is spectacularly clever and innovative, I truly admire Vicky-Russell for discussing such an important topic within the show. Will Armstrong’s direction is tight, ensuring the show has momentum throughout, making the hour fly by. This is truly a remarkable performance and I’d love to see Neil again!

{🎟 AD – PR invite – Tickets were gifted in exchange for an honest review}

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