Bad Immigrant – 8 November 2025, University Drama Studio
Review by Claire Taranaski.
When I interviewed Jennifer Irons about her one woman roller disco show about immigration Bad Immigrant last month for our Youtube channel I instantly warmed to this amazing woman who immigrated to the UK from Canada 25 years ago and could not wait to see her show, though at the time not knowing it was going to fall on the day of a UKIP march in Sheffield (thankfully outnumbered by immigration supporters) and that she was going to take me on an emotional roller coaster of a journey.
In a inclusive performance (subtitles projected throughout alongside a mix of powerful images and a training and falling highlights), where Jennifer proved herself even more amazing, she presented a combination of her fearlessness and vulnerability in sparkly pink Lycra and matching light up roller skates to an audience where being an immigrant is celebrated and being a friend to immigrants is welcomed. Jennifer lures you into a false sense of security as she gradually builds up from a fun disco comedic look at her roller-skating inspiration with snippets of immigration honesty to a powerful and thought-provoking examination of public and political attitudes to the subject.
Although I had advance notice of Jennifer’s fish, the fish mating was unexpected as was the David Attenborough narration reminding us that fish in the wild do not have borders, whatever Jennifer’s neighbour Jamie thought the day after Brexit (I would love to know her reaction to the show and being an inspiration for it and Jennifer’s journey), it was Jennifer’s skate foot puppet conversations between her and her pre-recorded daughter that were a beautifully staged highlight for me, as a parent drawing me into very honest, private mother daughter conversations that I hope I will never have to had.
Although those moments will stay with me for a long time, Jennifer’s stories will haunt and rightfully influence me and I expect many in the audience for a long time to come, from the vision of a red truck to a Christmas eve recollection that makes me want to campaign for Jennifer to deliver this year’s Channel 4 alternative Christmas speech to say it with the world.
Cleverly created and well thought-out, including brilliantly directed falls, this unique show is one that I’m glad to have experienced though sadly is likely to only be seen by those already on the side of immigrants and not those whose views it would hopefully change for the better, but in the same way that roller skaters are encouraged to pass on their skills I hope all us audience members pass on what we have learnt from this (definitely not bad) immigrant.
I left the venue not necessarily wanting to learn to roller skate myself but promising myself that my six year old daughter would get her requested new roller skates for Christmas (and gifting her the silver roller skate charm Jennifer left under everyone’s seats), knowing how to do a true (not Mexican) wave, longing to find my equivalent of the roller skating community and with a new found desire to do something to support my local immigrant communities (starting with downloading her charity song on Band Camp at https://jenniferirons.bandcamp.com/track/hypocrites-get-on-my-t-ts).
