EDINBURGH 2016 - Review: CHRISTINA BIANCO, Ghillie Dhu, 22 August

Starting off with "Life Of The Party" from The Wild Party, Christina Bianco sets the vocal bar high for the opening night of her UK tour - Me, Myself and Everyone Else. The format of the show is a nice introduction to anyone unfamiliar with Bianco's work. Taking us through her early influences she uses her famous impressions of the likes of Bernadette Peters and Stevie Nicks to give everyone a picture of how her musical tastes were formed.

Christina Bianco doesn't just do musical diva impressions - we are also treated to television characters from the likes of Absolutely Fabulous, Sex and the City, Friends and Downton Abbey. The material is fresh, funny and totally original. Alongside songs from musicals, she uses Randy Newman's "Short People" to poke fun at her 4'11" stature as she describes the struggles she faces as a petite woman.

With this being the first night of the tour, Bianco would be forgiven for a few slip-ups. However, there are none to be found. This brand new show is perfectly polished and flows brilliantly. The links between segments are slick and there's strong material throughout the set. Impersonating every diva from A to Z, Bianco reels off 26 impressions from classic divas like Madonna and Cher to more modern ones such as Paloma Faith and Florence Welch.

The first half closes with an absolute showstopper - so good I can't bring myself to spoil it for anyone else. The second act features celebrity readings from Hollywood voices and an interactive quiz, rounding things off with the diva medley. Christina Bianco has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe twice previously, but this was such a treat to see an extended solo show from her.

Catch Christina Bianco: Me, Myself and Everyone Else on her UK tour throughout August and September.

To post a comment, you must register and login.