At the start of “Miriam and the Monkfish”, I was a little worried that it was going to just be a parody of all those cooking shows. I was pleasantly surprised to observe that it was actually the tale of a (posh) housewife on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
The show starts with Miriam being informed she has 12 hours to create a meal for her husband’s six important clients and their wives, just after they have had to let the cook go. Can she learn cookery and create a masterpiece in this time? Of course not. Watch as she goes through manic-depression, psychosis and hallucinations. Just, whatever you do, don’t try any of her cooking!
Although this show (at 7 pm in a small room at Trades Hall, running for 45 minutes) does not have any comedic lines, it does have an actress (Sophie Kelly) who really gets into her part and demonstrates her character’s fragility so well, that you will fell sympathy for her at the same time as laughing at her ideas on how to cook.
Sophie has an impressive list of theatrical achievements as shown in the handout at the show (mostly straight roles) but she has performed at the festival in 2001 & 2002 in Ramsay St Rejects. Her physical comedy skills (especially at the end) almost outmatch her storytelling ability, and the audience almost forgot it wasn’t real
For booking details go to Miriam and The Monkfish: Sophie Kelly