by Steph J. Watkins

Connie Wookey: Denied is just one of the musically comedic, one-woman-shows on offer this year at VAULT Festival, and it certainly packs a punch. Wookey tells us of her times in America, travelling in Canada and contemplating life in what could have been her last moments on earth. We follow her various experiences as a struggling actor, told through fabulously-written parodies to popular songs and quick-witted humour.

It’s clear that Wookey is in her element on stage, as not only is her delivery executed with great comedic timing, but she also has a strong skill of improvising with the audience, then returning seamlessly to her story. Armed with only a few props and a keyboard, it shows that you don’t need fancy set design and lighting for a show to work.

Her parody of Gilbert and Sullivan’s ‘Modern Major General’ is particularly excellent, although could have benefited from slightly more clarity in terms of diction as some of the words, and consequently humour, are lost. That said, it is a notoriously difficult song to tackle.

Having developed the show over two years, Wookey is a great example of creatives making their own work. I hope that this is only the first of many self-written pieces, as she’s certainly off to a flying start.

Connie Wookey: Denied runs through 2 February.

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