Stage Review: Suzi Ruffell at The Glee Club

Words: Caroline Barry
Monday 25 November 2019
reading time: min, words

Our Caroline popped along to see Suzi in full, glorious stand-up swing... 

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There is something to be said about enjoying a hot pizza on a cold Tuesday in the presence of a good comedy gig. The Glee Club is fast becoming one of my favourite venues for this exact reason – they know good comedy.

This week, myself and herself went to see the incredibly funny Suzy Ruffell perform her latest show, Dance Like Everyone is Watching, at The Glee Club. While I was well aware of Ruffell being gay before I saw the show but there is nothing like the feeling of seeing another visibly out and proud lesbian.

The show, in a nutshell, is about lesbian marriage, babies and the passage of time. As a 30-something-gay lady myself, I am a prime target for a rousing discussion on lesbian marriages, babies and the passing of time. I found myself roaring with laughter at her account of her mother ruining her partner’s proposal and nodding in agreement as she told of her ‘cracking on’ with her engagement to her partner.

Ruffell has the talent of being able to switch from high energy performance to impersonations to audience banter incredibly quickly, making it a dizzying watch that leaves you feeling in awe of her razor-sharp wit. She couples this with politically important messages about transgender lives (that they do matter) and the importance of smear tests (get one please) that feel make her feel genuinely warm and likable.

Nothing prepared me however for just how gay the audience was. I don’t think I’ve sat in a more LGBT+ inclusive audience since Nottingham Pride. It felt a joy to proudly hold my girlfriend’s hand and just relax for the evening. The booking of so many female and LGBT visible people at The Glee Club means we can feel included, relaxed and most importantly, seen.

Suzi Ruffell performed at The Glee Club on Tuesday 19 November

The Glee Club website

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