Eve Miller
Emma Holland seems to delight in discomforting the audience, setting us off-balance from her (lengthy) entrance and not letting us regain it for the entire set. She takes us on a hilarious journey through her multi-disciplinary artwork, inspired by the four figures from her past that have wronged her, and in doing so, muses on the ethics of creating art based on the people in her life, and her goals as an artist.
With wildly Gen-Z visual gags as well as witty word-play and outrageous jokes, Holland gives the impression that she is toying with the audience, spurred on by keeping us on our toes. She talks childhood artistic rivalry, first (awful) dates, encounters with sexist Uber drivers, and career milestones. By linking each anecdote to a tangible piece of visual art, Holland cleverly gives herself opportunities for visual gags and a way to ground her performance, and her audience, in each moment, while neatly connecting these anecdotes. The set is sharply structured, building upon itself to a satisfying conclusion that feels inevitable, but only as it happens.
Holland is clearly a master of her craft, with intimate knowledge of pacing, timing, and interaction, easily riffing on her material and the crowd’s reactions. She gives a confident, quirky, and electric performance, which has us wondering what she will do next, and constantly surprised by the outcome.
This is a show for weird girls, for the competitive friend, for Robbie Williams fans, and for immoral artists. Off-putting, off-beat, and often hilarious, Emma Holland: Don’t Touch My Trinkets is a thoroughly enjoyable hour of stand-up.
Drink recommendation: Tomato juice – quirky and a bit intimidating.
You can catch Emma Holland: Don’t Touch My Trinkets at Studio Four at Assembly George Square Studios from 30th July to 24th August at 21:20 (60 mins). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Jasmine Silk
Phoebe Bakker
