Per-Verse – Riverside Studios

Just about everyone would have those moments in life that seem to be straight out of fiction or could make for great stories. But only few of them actually go ahead and turn those into forms of entertainment. Georgie Wedge is one of them and that’s a good thing, because now we have Per-Verse.

Written and performed by Wedge, this one-woman act is directed by Ilya Wray and combines poetry with stand-up with storytelling with physical comedy.

It may not be all that new to get on stage and talk about your dating life, but it is the way in which Wedge does it that makes this a standout show. The script is tight, packed with wit, and engaging all through. The word play of the title carries on into the performance as well, with puns and rhymes by the dozen. You better keep up, because things move fast!

Wedge regales the audience with instances from many a date night, some of which at least are universally relatable – like politely nodding to someone’s long and winding story about their running club while the chorus of “Shut Up” plays in your head; or scoping out a someone’s flat, their taste in music and snacks. Stories that seem regular enough, but when they are packed into Wedge’s well-sculpted verses, hilarity ensues. Sound design by Aron Gyenge adds ambience to the set, which is styled as a living room, transforming it from brunch with the girls to date night at a pub to a doctor’s examination room.

There is a moment towards the end when Wedge wistfully ponders over how her friends seem to have moved on in life in ways she cannot relate to. But that trope, refreshingly, is not something she will dwell on. This story isn’t about that, it is about boys from Hackney, about Dr Tall who isn’t really a doctor, and about men who will say the wrong things at the wrong time. This story is about laughing at the things life throws at you, including bum shingles.

Reviewer: Savitha Venugopal

Reviewed: 3rd April 2025

North West End UK Rating: