Siân Docksey review: Radiant pole dancing comedy brings something completely new

Image: Millie Robson

Siân Docksey is not performing stand-up comedy and pole dancing. She has actually created a brand new genre, and is doing something pretty genius in the way the two combine. More on that in a moment.

First, let’s talk about dread. Siân’s feeling it, and most of us are too. It’s hard to avoid, it’s not going anywhere and hangs over everything like a cartoon rain cloud, so we have to find ways to cope with it. Siân’s solution, accelerated by the various lockdowns, was to get really, really good at pole dancing. She tackles her various reasons for feeling dread — climate, money, the privatisation of UK train infrastructure — but somehow never once projects negativity. She is no less than radiant, and you start to think: maybe pole dancing can fix everything…

The pole (her “big chrome boyfriend”) allows her to introduce a different kind of physicality that no one else has. Telling jokes while spinning around the pole means she has to time everything perfectly. The punchlines need to happen when she spins around to make eye contact with us or they’d be lost to the back of the stage. I’m sure this added an extra level of complexity when putting the show together, but the work has totally paid off. She spins around, there’s a beat, she’s back, and boom. It’s hypnotic.

There are few comedians working as hard physically AND emotionally as Siân is every single day (she’s got to eat the occasional chip to avoid passing out). Actually I’m not sure there are any? The fact that she’s able to keep the same energy up throughout, never flagging (and it’s a very hot room on a hot day!), is beyond impressive. And, on top of that, she keeps the room engaged equally in what she’s got to say, and not just the pole tricks.

No one is particularly surprised to learn that she’s got a crystal habit her flatmate feels the need to monitor, or that she’s actively trying to learn less about astrology (which, she manages to convince us, is actually just like football — you’ll have to see her to find out how). The most fun moments are the weirdest: when she’s asked to pole dance at Tony’s funeral, when she goes on a surreal tangent about a knitted jungle controlled by grannies, and her signature off-beat turns of phrase as she describes herself as “haunted compost in a bikini”.

Pole Yourself Together is a rare instance of true innovation. What a treat to see someone bring something completely new to the table.

Siân Docksey: Pole Yourself Together is at Pleasance Dome (10Dome), 7:10pm, until August 28th. Tickets here.