Quite literally barefoot, Lorna Ní Shúilleabháin takes to the stage in her Fringe debut Barefoot Before God. Her identity as a queer woman intersects with her Catholic upbringing and experiences of cultural displacement provides a strong basis for the hilarious and somewhat chaotic show this is.
From the outset, Lorna proves herself to be incredibly engaging and a natural talent. Her crowd work was particularly impressive; she builds a strong rapport with the audience, and her responses are spontaneous and effortless, not to mention extremely witty. The intimate setting also meant that the audience quickly became familiar with one another, making her interactions with the crowd feel even more personal and her jokes all the funnier. Her ability to return to earlier jokes made the performance feel cohesive and her comedic timing kept the audience laughing throughout.
Her storytelling was also noteworthy; the seamless transitions between anecdotes kept the pace of the show and felt very natural throughout. Her use of strange and intriguing physical objects to illustrate her stories added a playful touch to an already engaging show.
If you’re looking for a bit of unpredictability, Barefoot Before God is certainly one to have on your radar. With plenty of well-executed crowd work throughout, no two performances are likely to be quite the same, making it a show you could return to time and time again and experience something new each time. For a genuine laugh and your cheeks to hurt from smiling, you’ve found the right show!
Barefoot Before God is ran from 7-15 August at Hoots, Nicholson Square.
Photo provided by Lorna Ní Shúilleabháin.
