MAYBE I DO…? at the Hen and Chickens Theatre
★★★★
“Camblor is a masterful and mad comic performer. She is definitely one to keep an eye out for”
Maybe I Do …? is a wild and joyous whirlwind, taking us through the romantic disasters of a woman who can’t help but hear wedding bells every time a man suggests a casual coffee. Carmen is a mess. It’s her wedding day, she’s marrying the wrong man, he’s in prison AND the wedding is on Zoom. She embarks on the tale of her romantic life, addressing the priest and gathered virtual congregation. What follows is a whistle-stop tour of the men she’s met and dated since moving to the U.K., as well as some very strong Spanish and British cultural commentary.
Writer/performer Cova Camblor’s monologue is skilled and consistently funny, pulling out witty one-liners, great Spanish/English misinterpretations and an impressive level of physical comedy. It’s a practised and confident performer who can play with silence, and Camblor (as well as director Anca Vaida) knows she can make it work. Early on, Camblor mimes her nonchalant reaction to a text from the man of her dreams. As the audience roared, we knew we were in safe hands. Camblor is very much in control, and each segment is well-structured and beautifully executed. Sometimes the transitions between each wild story feel a bit undercooked, but the energy and joy of the performance gives the piece a strong drive.
It’s a simple set, just a table and chair with an iPad (the whole piece is a Zoom call) and Carmen’s phone, on which her sexy love interest occasionally texts her. Camblor is decked out in full wedding dress and veil, and struts around the space, confidently taking up space. There are two moments of voiceover from the priest, which creates really useful bookends for a piece which could risk ambling on indefinitely. The lighting is simple and shifts for some of the anecdotes, helping to shake up the mood for each story.
Some of the plot doesn’t quite come together, we never do get to the bottom of why Steve Stevens is in prison. But it doesn’t really matter. In some moments though the energy does sag a little. A lot of the comedy comes from Camblor’s dramatically thick Spanish accent, but at times it can be a bit hard to follow, which means some of the well-crafted jokes fall a bit flat.
However, for such a short piece, it really packs in the laughs and Camblor is a masterful and mad comic performer. She is definitely one to keep an eye out for.
MAYBE I DO…? at the Hen and Chickens Theatre
Reviewed on 31st July 2023
by Auriol Reddaway
Photography by Borja López
Previously reviewed at this venue:
Lautrec | ★★★½ | August 2022
Maybe I Do…?
GMaybe I Do…?
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