Wellington Fringe 2026
Low Down
Weeds, a burlesquer come blues musician come engaging raconteur, outlines the provenance of a short set of the dirtiest songs in the blues genre, delivering each with control, humour and a bit of cello backing, her mellifluous voice filling the busy Allen Street venue.
Review
Wilhelmina Weeds, or Ms Weeds to accord them their preferred sobriquet, is on a mission, determined to prove to the assembled Fringe Bar faithful that our songful ancestors were anything but prudes when it came to calling the proverbial spade a shovel.
Weeds is well qualified to undertake this quest, taking us on a sonic exploration of a selection from the dirtiest songs across blues history. Weeds background as a burlesquer come blues musician come engaging raconteur saw her outline the provenance of a short set of songs before delivering each with control, humour and a bit of cello backing, her mellifluous voice filling the busy Allen Street venue.
Many blues and country singer/composers were (or are) visually impaired. In blues alone, think Willie McTell, Willie Johnson, Jefferson, Blake and Teddy Derby to name but a few. So, in a nod in this direction Weeds provides anyone in her audience living with a visual impairment an auditory description of herself, her set (pretty simple, just her, the cello and a chair) and a bit of background covering the burlesque/blues/country genre. It’s a nice, gentle touch from this confident narrator. Her machine-gun like patter, punctuated occasionally with a pause to draw breath or set up an amusing punchline, was informing and entertaining in equal measure.
Patter over, Weeds launches seamlessly into her first song “A Guy What Takes His Time” made famous (or infamous) by the irrepressible Mae West in the 1933 film She Done Him Wrong. It’s a gentle introduction to the world of dirty old songs with Leo Robin’s lyrics playing to West’s (and here, to Weeds’) ability to deliver double entendre and innuendo with a commendably straight face.
We dive a bit further into the gutter with Walter Davis’ classic Think You Need A Shot, where double entendre is used in traditional blues style to cover sexual treatment or remedy in lyrics that leave surprisingly little to the imagination.
But what’s Honeysuckle Rose, where Fats Waller’s music turned Andy Razal’s lyrics into an iconic, respectable song that’s been covered by anyone and everyone doing in this sort of performance? Well, next time you hear it, listen more carefully and you’ll find your eyebrows raising themselves of their own accord at lyrics packed with innuendo that Waller’s soothing delivery somehow glossed over.
By this time, it’s clear that Weeds is into her stride and enjoying the generous feedback from her supportive and engaged audience. Time then, to turn up the raunch-meter a few notches. Cue a rendition of “Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat” which achieved notoriety through Hannah May, a contemporary blues artist, a song that uses that classic double entendre line “you can play with my pussy, but please don’t dog it around”. Aficionados of the character “Mrs Slocombe” in the UK sitcom Are You Being Served will readily identify with these lyrics.
Weeds saved the best till last though. Shave ‘Em Dry was recorded by Lucille Bogan (aka Bessy Jackson) towards the backend of her career and there were two versions apparently, one for the record labels, one for the party scene. You can guess which one we were treated to. Yep, the true hokum blues one, mixing humour and traditional vaudeville with shock value lyrics. And lovers of the “f” word weren’t disappointed.
Weeds’ research is thorough and informative. The choice of songs was intriguing and each suited a voice that was powerful when needed, subtle when not and has an excellent range, her earthy delivery and facial expressions wringing every nuance from the innuendo laced lyrics. She’s a natural raconteur too, with a well-developed sense of comic timing.
Strange then, that she seemed to read quite regularly from her well-crafted script which led to an unfortunate loss of eye contact at times. She knows her stuff, so maybe lose the prop next time. And maybe look beyond the cello for instrumental support as well. Her voice is good enough to carry off songs acapella but piano backing tracks might provide a bit of variety. These are but minor gripes though as this was an engaging and entertaining forty minute performance that left you wanting more, the mark of any good show. Well worth looking out for.
