Review: Adele is Younger than us at the Edinburgh Fringe

As part of our Surrey in Edinburgh series we sent one of our most experienced theatre reviewers up to the Fringe to see what's going on. Adele is Younger than us got Amanda Hodges laughing hard in this 4 STAR review

Adele is Younger than us

What has global superstar Adele really achieved? Apart from 8 Brit awards, 10 Grammys and 3 double-platinum selling albums so far that is? From the same generation comedy duo Sally O’Leary and Rhiannon Neads present a highly entertaining hour reviewing what they consider their own dubious achievements to be and, in a light-hearted blend of song and satire, offer hope to all fellow mortals living in the shadow of greatness.

Their material covers familiar territory (like Adele!) with relationships being their principal theme but their self-deprecating wit is so enjoyable and their delivery generally so polished that they reel in the audience quickly. Their first song is about the difficulties of writing a memorable love song when you’ve never really been in love and, with the aid of supportive voiceovers, purportedly from ‘Adele’ the girls embark on a musical odyssey through their lives to date.

From the pangs of unrequited affection to the ambivalent joys of unbridled hedonism and everything inbetween, the duo’s humorous harmonies are great fun and their final song is their best, an accomplished and tuneful cracker which encourages everyone to celebrate who they are, irrespective of fame or fortune.

Considering that the show saw took place in cramped, near sauna-like conditions ( when Edinburgh experienced one of its rare days of summer) it was testament to the girls likeability that they had a full house engaged throughout, their popularity attested to by the fact they’ve just had extra late-night shows added.