Like the boy who dares say that the emperor has no clothes on Melinda Hughes takes down pomposity and bigotry without fear or favour. Now more than ever we need her no holds barred comic deflation of megalomaniacs everywhere. Comfortable in her own skin Melinda is sassy, sexy, street smart and satirical. Seamlessly weaving together stand-up comedy, spot on impersonations and superb singing, her show is quite unique. And the intimacy of the Crazy Coqs is the perfect place to see Melinda up close and personal. Melinda and the Crazy Coqs were made for each other. She will be there again on the 8th November and 20th of December. If you know her work you will want to see her new songs – if you don’t you are in for a treat. She is the most talented undiscovered star in the UK right now.
Her comic acting and genius for impersonation came through in song after song. None more so than when Melinda becomes Melania Trump. The central European accent is spot on, the gestures are instantly recognisable and the lyrics both hilarious and near the bone. Melinda sends up Hoxton and Homerton Hipsters, narcissistic selfie obsessives, angry Twitter trolls, sexist Texans in Stetsons (“when calling a girl sugar tits just meant hi”), she deftly gets in a topical reference to Boris grabbing Charlotte’s inner thigh, Corbyn and his Zionist plots, the predatory nature of Cougar’s and perhaps most brilliantly of all the absurd self-regard of Divas. A classical trained opera singer perhaps Melinda is close enough to her subject to really expose it? A case of it takes one to know one she excels as the Diva. Wearing a sash with the tag line ‘Well Done Me’ and a tiara Melinda gives us the Diva in all her ghastly me, me, me-ness. Holding the note for an absurdly long time she curls her lip contemptuously and boasts to the audience “Nailed it.” This is a brilliant satirical impersonation that the Love Island, X Factor generation could clearly benefit from seeing. The paradox of our times is this: How do we get the people who most need satire to experience it? Whatever the answer, Melinda Hughes is right at the top of my list of artists that they ought to see.
Review by John O’Brien
Described by Vanity Fair as “scandalous and timely”, Melinda Hughes and the band will entertain you with an outrageous and eclectic evening of up-to-the-minute cabaret, political satire and musical comedy.
Off The Scale is a sophisticated romp through social and political satire, packed with provocative original songs on internet trolling, selfies, cougars, hipsters, sex-pest cowboys, as well as an appearance by special guest Melania Trump.
https://www.brasseriezedel.com/live-at-zedel/
