by Laura Kressly

As elder Gen Zs approach their mid-20s, it makes sense that they turn to comedy to cope with what seems like the never-ending apocalyptic disasters plaguing their brief adulthood. Writer/comedian Rosalie Minnitt has tapped into her generation’s resulting anxiety by condensing what seems like all early-20-somethings’ tropes into an unhinged character piece set “sometime in the past”. Utterly bizarre and nonsensical, the title character is on an absurd quest to marry as soon as possible so that she avoids her parents disappearing her, but this is a thin narrative that’s really just a vehicle for Minnitt’s jokes.

The latter are extremely online, extremely British, and most of the audience finds them extremely hilarious. She uses a particular style of base humour that lacks sophistication or layers, but suits the phenomenally stupid character she has created. Her story’s increasingly outlandish developments go some way in holding the attention of those who aren’t into her particular type of comedy, though there’s a niggling sense that this could be just as effective as a tin-minute sketch rather than a whole, hour-long show that relentlessly spews the same kind of gag.

That said, Minnitt, has a great sense of comic timing, bucketloads of energy, and embodies the characteristics of upper-class, Regency England exceedingly well – as well as the features of her own generation. Though she is satirising the likes of Bridgerton and Jane Austin’s work, she would fit right into more earnest depictions of the era, what with her on-point depiction of their historical norms.

Clementine runs through 5 March.

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