by ***** (out of 5)
After a sold-out run of her debut show Gutterplum in 2019, Los Angeles clown Courtney Pauroso returns with an all-new production as a sex robot named Vanessa 5000 that’ll reveal more than you could possibly imagine.
Her timing couldn’t be more auspicious, thanks to the new blockbuster Barbie movie, the rise of AI, and concerns over corporate capitalism and data harvesting.
Bill Hader’s Stefon may have promised you nightclubs that had everything, but Pauroso’s Vanessa 5000 may just offer everything, and more! Sure, you might have expected sexy robot voices and sexy robot dancing. But also, there are splits. Classic catchphrases from 1990s sitcoms. Audience interaction. Close-up magic. Splits. The Unabomber Manifesto?! A cover of Black Sabbath one-upped by a majestic cover of Radiohead, performed on the bass guitar, with lyrics that take even deeper meaning when applied to a show about a sex robot. Is there anything Courtney Pauroso cannot do?!?!
This is late-night Fringe entertainment at its best.
Courtney Pauroso: Vanessa 5000 runs through Aug. 27 at Pleasance Courtyard Beneath
