Fifteen years ago, JoJo Bellini was involved in a car crash that almost killed her. She escaped with a broken arm, two shattered legs, cracked ribs, a punctured lung and being partially scalped. Told by doctors that by age 40 she would be so crippled with arthritis that she would be bound to a wheelchair, the future looked bleak. Her show laughs in the face of those doctors’ words in what is a dynamic and entertaining hour in which her enthusiasm for performance shines through on each song.
Seeing the show on a wet Wednesday night as a designated driver is probably not the best way to enjoy it. No, this show would be best suited for a boozy weekend, entertaining stag parties or perking up those about to take advantage of Edinburgh’s late festival licensing hours. Watching a well-endowed woman in a corset peel a cucumber and sing Dildos Are Forever is harmless fun any night of the week, but it’s more difficult to truly get into the spirit of things whilst quietly lamenting Edinburgh City Council parking restrictions.
What sticks in the memory most about this show is the re-enactment of her car crash. This felt very uncomfortable and the raw emotion in her eyes as she began the segment showed that this is still a very painful memory to recall and perform. To repeatedly relive the most traumatic experience of one’s life on stage must be psychologically challenging. A real psychologist would be able to tell you the extent of the damage it would cause. However, JoJo pulls through to deliver more upbeat songs, stories of sex, love, and life.
Despite the dark interlude, the moral of this story is a positive one. Life may be fragile but the human spirit is mighty and resilient. If you surround yourself with positive people and influences then you can overcome adversity, enjoy life and be happy. It is hard to pick many faults with such a positive message. On yersel Jojo.