Theatre review: Deirdre and Me, C Nova (Venue 145), Edinburgh

By MALCOLM JACK
Published on 20/08/2012 16:18

AS SOMEONE who has never watched Coronation Street, I’m not exactly the sort of punter targeted by this one-woman play written and performed by Rachael Halliwell, about a lonely Mancunian spinster driven mad by her obsession with ITV’s iconic soap, particularly its long-running character Deirdre Barlow.

Deirdre And Me

C Nova (Venue 145)

Star rating: * * *

But that’ll be true of a lot of Fringe-goers, certainly those visiting from abroad. Much as there are Corrie plot/character references and in-jokes galore the story attempts to strike a universal chord, by gradually colouring Susan’s family story with aching pathos.

Raised alone by her unaffectionate late mother, she’s never flown the nest nor entirely grown up. Barlow becomes an imaginary surrogate sister, inspiration and consort to Susan.

As her fantasy deepens and even her faithful cat Lawrence abandons her, she has a violent psychotic episode and ends up in a mental hospital, but she still can’t let go of her Deirdre delusion.

Despite its self-limiting appeal, Deirdre and Me marks Halliwell as a talented character actress to watch out for. There are hints in Susan of an extreme version of the kind of dowdy middle-aged women played to great acclaim by Victoria Wood, with outward funniness as a sharp counterpoint to submerged sadness.

• Until 27 August. Today 6:45pm.