Colchester Fringe Festival 2024
My Fanny Valentine: Rebirthed
Leggy Blonde Productions
Genre: Comedy, Feminist Theatre, One Person Show
Venue: Three Wise Monkeys - Colchester
Festival: Colchester Fringe Festival
Low Down
Megan Juniper is the Disney Princess of Gynaecology in this hilariously funny mix of stand-up comedy, musical theatre, and vagina facts.
Review
Last year, I reviewed Juniper’s Meggie’s Measures which I found to be an absolute delight. When I realized My Fanny Valentine: Rebirthed was her work, I rejoiced in reviewer glee. Juniper has a pitch-perfect voice and a natural comedic timing. She’s relatable, fun, and bubbly. Meggie’s Measures was about drinking, which I know a lot about. This piece, about vaginas, I certainly knew less about as a gay man. So how did Doctor Juniper (Gynaecologist & Performer) do?
Juniper previously performed My Fanny Valentine at the Brighton Fringe Festival, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Wandsworth Fringe Festival in 2017. It was, at that point, performed with two different performers. The story follows her journey having a steamy, sexy, and… awkward date with a gynecologist in his office. As the title suggests, My Fanny Valentine: Rebirthed is freshly prepared and updated to be a total one-woman show.
Juniper’s performance was exceptional. From the moment she entered the stage, there was an infectious joyous energy (infectious in a good way, not the graphic descriptions of STI way Juniper gleefully sang). The songs in the shows are all parodies of familiar hits all fitting within Juniper’s pitch-perfect vocal range. She starts with a banger “Natural Woman” cover proving herself to be a natural talent. Juniper needs to consider releasing an original soundtrack album. The audience, clapping and singing along, would adore her for it.
I lied earlier saying Juniper was a one-woman show. She is, but also… she did have one other “person” on stage with her: a cardboard cut-out of the doctor who at times stole the show. Despite giving a rather flat performance (pun intended), constantly grinning at the audience, he highlights the brilliance in Juniper’s humor. When Juniper left the stage and had the cardboard cut-out sing a solo by itself, it was the moment I had to sink my head into my journal unable to stop laughing. If anyone is not cardboard on the stage, it’s Juniper. It’s impossible not to love her performance.
The only issues were some small technical issues at the venue such as mic feedback and some audio being impossible to hear on the Three Wise Monkeys’ speakers. Otherwise, the show would have been perfect. Performance-wise, this reviewer has no notes. Megan Juniper is a natural West-end-worthy star. She proves she is the Disney Princess of Gynecology.
