HOLLY'S HOT SPOT - The Times (3 stars) - 24th August 2005


Even her mum wouldn’t call Holly Penfield’s voice beautiful, but it has plenty of character and she makes the most of it. In an eclectic late-night cabaret hour which runs from Some Like It Hot to Both Sides Now, including a couple of her own songs, you get your money’s worth. There are numerous costume changes, much camp vamping of the audience and a very decent local pick-up band led by Ian Ritchie.

Penfield is a well-kent face on the London cabaret circuit but she actually made her British debut at the Fringe more years ago than it would be polite to mention, so welcome back. Hers is the kind of voice, the kind of act, the kind of music which requires a bit of life to have been lived before it makes much sense. There are many worse ways than this to round off your evening.


Robert Dawson Scott