Bursting with energy and relatability, Isla Fairfield’s Hot Girl Summer is a punchy and poignant look at one girl’s journey to healing
My very first thought upon the start of the show is that it is amazing to see Scottish talent at the Fringe – and more so, someone who is keen to keep her Scottish identity at the heart of her work. Once Tilly, the central character, moves to London early in the show, there is plenty of mention of how she is stereotyped due to her accent and upbringing, especially on dates. In return, Fairfield stereotypes London right back; but in her case, they don’t feel cliched; indeed, she makes certain to poke fun at herself quite a bit.
Fairfield certainly has some strong acting chops – in comedy especially. Her jokes stand very well on their own, so I did find some of her and associate director Sarah Fox’s direction choices to be a little too big at times. Fairfield is naturally charming, and her writing strikes a great balance between funny and emotional – I felt my heart drop for her when a certain beau sends a dreaded break up text.
At the heart of the piece, however, is Fairfield’s grieving process following the loss of her mother. It provides a brilliant bit of grounding, but it’s inclusion feels a bit rushed. This is understandable, seeing as Fairfield only has 45 minutes to tell her tale. She does so extremely strongly – I would love to see a full hour from her next Fringe!