Fortuna Burke's one woman show is aptly billed as 'Ab Fab meets Flight of the Conchords.' In fact, if you're familiar with both comic comparisons, that's the whole review in seven words. Think Patsy Stone’s dress sense and Murray Hewitt’s persistent yet futile enthusiasm.
A well written and very well acted production by Burke, director Lee Griffiths and, you’d be remiss not to mention Magda Durka’s costume design.
Burke has the audience in her palms right from the get go as Fortuna, the wannabe star, with her innocent love of Tom Cruise and the pride of her synth-pop award (very prestigious you know...).
Burke's character is so natural it's hard to tell how much of this is acting and how much is how Burke goes about her daily life (just perhaps with less synthesiser action. Or perhaps not…). Even faced with late comers creeping in to the theatre Fortuna the synth pop star greets them warmly, catches them up on the gossip and carries on seamlessly.
The show is really a conversation in which the audience can't get a word in what with Fortuna’s pent up frustration spilling out in between synthesiser beats that never quite turn into full songs before she's distracted once again by her total non-jealousy (definitely not jealous. Not jealous) of Verandah, who owns a boutique in 'Chelsea' but it’s not really Chelsea so basically Verandah's a liar and...well, you get the idea.
The show could potentially be improved by cameo appearances from the characters that feature in Fortuna’s life. Just as Jennifer Saunders needs her Joanna Lumley, Fortuna sometimes needs a Verandah to break up her monologues and keep the audience laughing even more (although there are already plenty of laughs to be had). And whilst Fortuna’s music attempts are great for a chuckle, you’re left wishing you could have heard one fully developed synth pop song (instead of going home and listening to Inner City Pressure to get your fill)
This is the kind of show that could be the first in a series, and leaves the audience wanting to know what happens next. Does Fortuna ever find her own home? Will she ever do anything that isn't 'part-time'? Are there shoulder pads even bigger than those?
A well written and very well acted production by Burke, director Lee Griffiths and, you’d be remiss not to mention Magda Durka’s costume design. Those shoulder pads really are unforgettable…
