Exclusive Review: Crudi Dench: Someone Help Her! – A Fringe Frenzy of Camp, Chaos, and Catharsis

As I’ve said before, Drag acts are so similar, so I always go in with an open mind, and you have to. But I’m always prepared for anything. Although i’m there in a professional capacity, I’m there, so I’m fair game for a gag or two at my expense. So onto the review. Some shows […]

As I’ve said before, Drag acts are so similar, so I always go in with an open mind, and you have to. But I’m always prepared for anything. Although i’m there in a professional capacity, I’m there, so I’m fair game for a gag or two at my expense.

So onto the review.

Some shows are polished. Others are chaotic. And then there’s Crudi Dench: Someone Help Her!, a gleefully unhinged explosion of camp cabaret, staged in the intimate confines of the Actors Theatre, Brighton.

Crudi Dench — part delusional diva, part well polished drag, but all charisma — delivers a performance that feels like watching a cabaret show through a kaleidoscope after three espresso martinis. Ostensibly a comeback show gone wrong, it spirals gloriously into meltdown territory, blurring the lines between scripted chaos and genuine theatrical brilliance.

What makes this work isn’t just the bonkers physical comedy, the DIY props, or the controversial audience names — it’s the commitment. Crudi (the creation of a fearless performer whose name deserves to be shouted from rooftops) never drops character, even when the guests can’t follow simple instructions The result? A tightrope walk between disaster and diva-dom that’s riotously funny and surprisingly poignant.

The show lampoons celebrity vanity, fringe theatre tropes, and the performative nature of identity, all while keeping the audience in stitches. Moments of hilarity are contrasted with flashes of emotional honesty that catch you off guard.

The venue adds to the intimacy: the Actors Theatre feels like the perfect match for a show that thrives on audience connection. Crudi doesn’t just break the fourth wall — she seduces it, insults it, and drags it on stage for a duet.

Review Score: A Crudi-ly deserved 5 Star rating

Reviewers Verdict: Crudi Dench: Someone Help Her! is an absolute gem of the Brighton Fringe — an hour of queer chaos and cabaret carnage that’ll leave you laughing, questioning your life choices, and possibly crying into your prosecco. Someone help her? No need. Crudi Dench is a mess — and it’s magnificent.