By Colin Flaherty
After conquering the US media market, Chip Johnson (self proclaimed Greatest Ever Ally to All Women) is here in Scotland to explain the world to the fairer sex (between ad reads for his energy drink sponsor).
Maggie Metnick’s Johnson is a brilliantly hilarious buffoon. There is little subtlety in both his development and portrayal. Chip suffers perpetual small man syndrome (get it?) and is always correct in his opinions. This man of wealth and privilege is on every feminist’s dartboard. Crude photoshopped images showing Chip at significant historical events are beautifully on brand as he is certainly the main character in his reality. Metnick handles this performance with a wonderful over the top bluster to ensure this creature is the perfect target of ridicule.
Man Up covers the last couple of years of female adjacent current affairs topics from both the US and the UK. Actual news articles are shown on screen as Chip relates his misguided empathy and batshit opinions about each story. Some horrendous real life characters featured are likely to have you researching them post show, but enough detail is given to get the gist of their evil deeds.
This razor sharp satire is quite brutal, covering many sensitive topics with a matter of factness where if you don’t laugh at these tragic situations you will surely cry. Chip’s many off colour comments are met with simultaneous shocked oohs and guilty gaffaws. We snigger at him as he reveals instances of childhood trauma which seem to be leading towards a story of redemption because we all know men like him suffer no consequences. This schadenfreude keeps us laughing throughout.
Its not all heavy going. There are some playful duck out of water segments where Chip hilariously goes through the motions of getting to know this foreign country of Scotland like the uncouth fellow that he is. There is also some delightfully low rent acting by Chip as he portrays a cavalcade of Pro Lifers throughout history.
This is the perfect show to work through your rage about how the patriarchy is screwing everyone over while laughing your arse off.
Man Up: A Show for Women! is on at C ARTS | C venues | C aquila until August 18
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/man-up-a-show-for-women