Alanta Colley didn't just catch the travel bug, she caught a whole infestation. As she travelled and lived in Cambodia, East Timor and Uganda, she unwittingly became host to a range of parasites and developed a strong interest in these ingenious organisms.
The self-described "Airbnb for micro-organisms" has created a stand-up show about her experiences and, from the start, demonstrates a clear passion for the topic. When she's talking about parasites, her background as an educator comes in handy and, at its best, Parasites Lost is interesting, informative and funny. The use of a slideshow provides some grotesque images of the creatures she describes, but is more a source of amusement than disgust.
Unfortunately, Colley often digresses into anecdotes about the people she met on her travels and, when she does, the show rambles on without direction. She's not a natural comedian and sometimes this is apparent in her timing, which makes some of the jokes fall flat.
With a bit more polish, however, this is the kind of show that could really get under your skin.
