Reynolds constantly balances the gut-punch with the punchline, weaving serious critique through moments of effortless hilarity.
A blue hue washes over the Purcell Room at the Southbank Centre as the audience murmurs in anticipation. The crowd is eclectic, but united by the same electric buzz. A spotlight cuts through the noise. Suddenly, silence. Then BAM: Midgitte Bardot storms the stage to the roar of adoring fans, who greet her as if the Messiah herself had returned. And she looks incredible. In that instant, my expectations recalibrated. I knew exactly what I was in for: mayhem, filthy debauchery, and razor-sharp sexual wit, all delivered by an undeniable diva. I was completely on board.
Tamm Reynolds’ bold new show Shooting From Below, directed by Izzy Rabey, returns to the Southbank Centre for its second run– and it is as hilarious as it is bizarre. Equal parts riotous and tender, furious and joyful, the show confronts its audience with both Reynolds’ rage and their community’s lived experience… without ever sacrificing style. Over 60 minutes of glorious chaos, we follow Midgitte Bardot (Reynolds’ drag persona) as she is forced to apologise for a dreadful act she may or may not have committed (spoiler: it might involve those disembodied legs scattered across the stage). Through original songs, biting humour, and a tightly
constructed narrative, Bardot shares her experience as a person with dwarfism (with fabulous wigs to match).
The writing is sharp, playful, and deceptively disarming. Reynolds lulls the audience into a false sense of comfort with jokes, audience interaction, and witty lyrics, before revealing the show’s true engine: rage. As they themselves note, the piece interrogates a world in which people wit dwarfism are too often reduced to spectacle– “entertainment, pets, toys, fetishes, dream sequences, musical numbers… most of the time.” It’s a brutal observation, but one delivered with such precision and humour that it lands without ever feeling sermonic or preachy– just undeniably true. Reynolds constantly balances the gut-punch with the punchline, weaving serious critique through moments of effortless hilarity.
As a performer, Tamm is effortless and easy to watch. They command the stage with ease, taking their time with complete confidence that the audience will stay with them– whether they’re adjusting a wig or slowly sipping water. And we do, because we’re hooked. A true multidisciplinary performer, they are a compelling actor, a strong singer, and a brilliantly instinctive comedian. That said, there are moments where pacing falters: extended pauses during costume changes occasionally disrupt the rhythm, particularly one sequence where the
stage is left empty for too long. It begins as a gag but overstays its welcome. Still, Reynolds quickly regains momentum. And, as they declare in song, “They were jealous. I was charming.” They’re not wrong. The charm is undeniable.
Visually, the show is a triumph. Maisie Frater’s set design is inventive and striking: a surreal landscape of legs and feet entwined with ivy creates a strange, luminous playground for Bardot to inhabit. It’s imaginative, cohesive, cleverly tied to the narrative and genuinely beautiful– one of the production’s standout elements. The costumes, by Lambdog 1066, are equally impressive. Midgitte Bardot looks stunning throughout– meticulously detailed, perfectly tailored, and gloriously, unapologetically drag.
Overall, Shooting From Below is a riveting, unruly, and fiercely intelligent piece of theatre. And I, for one, will be keeping a very close eye on wherever Midgitte Bardot appears next.