The Caroline Carter Show

The singer and comedian Flick Fernando brings her latest creation, Caroline Carter, to a late night slot near you. She’s a country and western singer with a smile, a sketch and an irritating personality. It’s performed with skill, humour, love and some DAMN fine geetar chops from sideman Barney Strachan.

Which makes it all the sadder that the show doesn’t quite work. The character of Caroline is too nice. She lacks edge. You don’t stumble away afterwards with a clear memory of… anything that blew your mind, knocked your socks off, made you go yee-haa.

There is an effective and brilliantly performed song about two Greek shepherds who meet, fall for each other across a mountain valley by whistling, make out… and then of course he never whistles her back. But where did that come from in a show supposedly about Caroline travelling the UK and “listening to people”? It just points up the lack of a coherent vision.

The Caroline Carter Show is less than the sum of its parts. Caroline is reduced to bringing on a drinks trolley halfway through and inviting a member of the audience up to hand round the Jack Daniels. (Voice from the audience on the night I went: “It must be an expensive show”.) You shouldn’t need to buy your public’s love so obviously.

– Craig Singer