A funny, heartfelt debut full of honesty, sharp writing and electric energy. Foreman’s storytelling, tech creativity and audience connection make this Camden Fringe first a genuine standout.Rating
Excellent!
My visit to the Etcetera Theatre comes with the familiar buzz of the Camden Fringe, and for a 3 o’clock show on a Monday, the room is packed – many clearly friends, family and supporters of Elena Foreman’s debut. Fittingly, firsts are the heartbeat of this one-woman show; first period, first love, first heartbreak, and yes, first orgasm. On paper it risks sounding predictable, but Foreman’s writing and performance lift it far beyond cliché. Her storytelling is sharp, funny, and unexpectedly moving, shifting from laugh-out-loud moments to the brink of tears with ease.
This performance is rooted in complete honesty, and while much of it is hilarious, it also carries moments that are unexpectedly sad and quietly hard-hitting, all delivered with remarkable sensitivity. A mid-show “wellbeing dance break” offers a welcome pause, giving the audience a chance to check in with themselves before diving back into Foreman’s story. Watching the room rise to its feet and dance in solidarity with her is genuinely uplifting, a reminder of how shared experience can bind an audience together.
What makes the piece land so well is its universality. Though Foreman tells her own coming-of-age story, every woman in the audience recognises some part of it. When she uses Chaka Khan’s I’m Every Woman, the sentiment feels entirely earned; her experiences may be personal, but they echo across the room. The writing is vivid, emotive and packed with clever turns of phrase, and it’s easy to imagine this show finding a strong home at the fringe in Edinburgh.
The production’s use of music, sound and projected titles adds texture to the storytelling, even if a few technical cues were slightly off. These are small issues, easily fixed. One standout moment is Foreman’s account of her first experience with recreational drugs: set in a club, the scene unfolds over pounding music while the conversation with an imagined companion appears entirely through projection. It’s inventive, well-timed, and genuinely funny.
Foreman herself really is excellent. Her energy is electric throughout – no small feat in a fast-paced show that has her dancing, running, raving and rarely still. Her description of trying to use a tampon for the first time, whilst Rossini’s William Tell Overture plays, is a highlight: not crude, but honest, physical and recognisable to many in the audience. It’s comedy rooted in shared experience rather than shock value, and it works beautifully.
With a little tightening on the technical side, this debut could go far. It’s a heartfelt, high-energy piece that balances humour and sincerity, and it leaves you smiling as Foreman proudly declares she has achieved her goal: writing her first show.
Written & Performed by Elena Foreman
My First Time plays at the Etcetera Theatre until Wednesday 26 August as part of the Camden Fringe
