Exuding the confidence of a singing sensation far above her worth, Caroline tells us about her travels around the country in her camper-van, picking up stories of other people’s misery and turning them into songs. Along the way she’s acquired a guitarist, Barney Strachan, deadpan and subtly undermining.
Played by Flick Ferdinando, Caroline has zing and flourish whilst battling an underlying sadness and disappointment as she gigs in out of the way pubs and unheard of festivals.
The provision of drinks on a wheeled wagon is a lovely diversion to cover a costume change – and an astounding costume it is too, flouncing sleeves accompanying a rather wild dance interlude that seems to serve Caroline’s inner need to get pent-up ‘stuff’ out.
The show is a slimmer version of the Carter ‘family’ piece that toured a year or so ago, and includes some of the same songs and ideas. It suffers from having less of a dynamic in the onstage relationships, and less for Caroline to work against.
But an hour in the company of Caroline Carter is never going to be dull and Flick Ferdinando is a most engaging performer. The show ends with us clapping along and a final and heartfelt Yee Haw!