Maybelline is in her Slut Era

Watching Maybelline San Juan's debut cabaret is like being at a sleepover - there’s gossip, silliness and a whole lot of heart. 

Slide deck at the ready, San Juan opens her show in a wildly engaging and unique way, sharing the stats of the 23 men that she slept with over a 132 day period. Through a hyperblend of pop song parodies, unhinged screenshots and some honestly brave confessions, San Juan unravels how she came (hold for sexual innuendo) to her titular Slut Era.

There is no doubt that San Juan is a gifted performer. Her vocal pipes are next level, and her stage presence is effervescent and a bounty of fun. What was missing for me was grit. While she has great comedic timing, and can deliver jokes with absolute confidence, the content hovers at the surface. Riffs on the size of genitals and whether or not a man has a bed-frame might be based in reality, but they are not outwardly rich in originality. I kept hoping she would dig even deeper for material, applying a touch more nuance to fully subvert our expectations. 

There is untapped potential here and with a little bit more bite, she could follow in the footsteps of other festival darlings such as Isabella Valette or Michelle Brasier. Maybelline San Juan already possesses a clearly talented ability to captivate a room, I am eagerly anticipating how she grows from here!

Maybelline is in her Slut Era
The Improv Conspiracy, 9:30pm