In between plastic surgery and being banned from ITV’s Loose Women for naughty language, the iconic Joan Rivers makes her Festival debut, surprising everyone by instead of battling with the best of the comedians at a late night slot, chosen to perform her new play, A work in progress by a life in progress, in the afternoon at a relatively intimate venue no less.
However, fear not those who are looking forward to her acid tongued stand up routine, while this is a play, the majority is her halting the characters, turning to the audience and then launching into her brilliant stand-up, before moving back to the story.
The play, co-written by Rivers, is a simple tale, set in real time, involving her having ninety minutes to get ready to interview people for the Oscar red carpet awards, dealing with a Russian make up artists, a missing Oscar dress and a grandson who refuses to get off the phone. Expertly performed by all and full of countless quotable lines, the play… well the play is surprisingly average and ultimately pointless. It only really exists as a vehicle for Rivers to provide some cracking jokes and share her life story of the highs and lows of her career.
This production really is something of an enigma, a play that is painfully fragmented by an utterly charismatic and funny stand-up routine. You really have to ask why she bothered with the play at all. It merely serves as an unwelcome distraction from what should have been the highlight of the Fringe.
Well worth a look, if only to see an icon wow the crowds and in between the laughter break your heart with some surprisingly tender moments on an industry that can turn its back on you in a heartbeat.
4/5 
Martin Miller
