Was ever a debut show longer awaited? Chloe Petts’ first solo hour was good to go just as Covid reared its spikes, since when – solo shows be damned! – she has established herself as one of our most compelling young comics. But it’s still a treat to discover what she can do with an hour to herself, in a show, Transience, that’s evolved from its nipped-in-the-bud 2020 predecessor.
What she can do is wade into the thorniest conversations of our time – to do with gender fluidity, male privilege and toxic masculinity – and emerge with a show that’s all sweet nature and smiles. That she does so without soft-soaping or compromising on her own beliefs is the sign of a skilful comic – as are the jokes, which keep proceedings buoyant throughout.
