Little Lark of London

“Fresh from farm to stage”

Kate Norris: Farm Fatale starts with an interesting question – what happens when you grow up on a farm but have more of a proclivity for a different lifestyle? Norris tells the audience about how she grew up as one of the more scandalous members of her farm community, illustrating this through the example of a “Young Farmers disco.” 

One of the main subjects of Farm Fatale? Norris’s cat, Atticus, who she refers to several times as “My twin flame, my familiar, my heart that beats outside of my body.” We are introduced to the “Scarlet Whore” Christine, one of Norris’s neighbours who has been feeding Atticus which, in the eyes of Norris, is equivalent to having an affair with her husband. In case you couldn’t tell, Norris has quite the overdramatic stage persona, a trait I adore!

Another thing that Norris focuses on? Divorced dads. Norris has a plan, and that plan is to become a stepmother, no matter how many times she has to pretend to be interested in/turned on by the “gadgets” that her divorced boyfriends love to show off. She claims that she already has a “divorced woman energy,” so why not use it to her advantage? But, even with all of this, Norris promises us that this isn’t her “dead dad show,” claiming, “I’m not a loser. Grief? Not today!” She even apologises to those who have lost their father, though it may not be for the reason you think!

There are several songs throughout the show, with topics ranging from a vet telling Norris not to have sex with her cat to Norris’s desire to be a “mommy girlfriend” to men like DJs and avant-garde clowns, the type of men she believes she attracts. In a song about a guy on a date being obsessed with James Acaster, there are some hilarious references to Acaster’s career which make you wonder whether Norris may actually be the one with a little obsession!

Norris is a brilliant performer in terms of both comedy and singing, showing off fantastic timing (as I have written in my notes, “Goddamn, even the burp was well-timed!”) and some gorgeous vocals. She has some great callbacks, including a running joke about a hair follicle and its journey to becoming an abscess over the course of the show. I particularly love how she portrays the relationship between herself and her Gen Z roommate, which she depicts as what an old lady with dementia may be like interacting with a young nurse in a novel from the 1900s, with Norris fondly singing along to Flo Rida’s “Low” as her “carer” watches on in concern.  

A highlight of the show for me was when Norris would read messages from Daria, the Russian ex-ballerina who catsits Atticus. Norris had found her on Nextdoor, the neighbourhood app that only a few souls are brave enough to actually use instead of simply lurking for local drama. Norris reads all of the messages from Daria in a Russian which only adds to the hilarity of lines like, “Where else would I be? Where else would I go?” when Norris asks Daria if she will continue catsitting. 

Ultimately, Kate Norris: Farm Fatale is a brilliant hour of singing and comedy that proves that Norris’s home is no longer the farm she grew up on – it’s the stage. It feels impossible that this is Norris’s debut solo show. Whether she’s describing her love for her cat or performing a dramatic ballad fit for the West End, Norris will have you in stitches!

Kate Norris: Farm Fatale runs from 23 to 28 September at Soho Theatre. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.