Chloe Petts‘ debut Edinburgh Fringe show last year received praise for discussing gender and sexuality in a polite manner. But Petts took the suggestion that she was a kind, gentle person to heart, and appears to have been less than happy about it. So this year she has reinvented herself as a tougher, more brutal comedian.
That’s the elevator pitch for If You Can’t Say Something Nice. The reality, of course, is somewhat different. In this elegantly delivered performance Petts sets out to be meaner, taking potshots at the men in the front row, mocking older fans who might not get certain references. But ultimately it feels more mischievous than malicious. She is doing it to keep herself interested and to keep the audience entertained.
