The audience sit awaiting Hollywood legend Patti DuPont (149 films, nine husbands & five facelifts), looking forward to an evening of music and memories of her showbiz life. Suddenly the door crashes open and a strange woman stands upon the stage – Patti’s awkward, stammering daughter who has been sent to fill in as Patti is indisposed…
During the next hour (and it is an hour, Linda is very clear about this), we are treated to a show that can only be described as cringeworthy, as Linda stumbles her way through her mother’s life, revealing a closet full of skeletons, her own broken childhood and desperation for her mother’s respect.
Patti herself is watching the show via webcam and constantly interrupts to reprimand her daughter, while the audience sit torn between laughter and embarrassment.
Anna Emerson (Linda) has produced a very brave show that, while a little rough around the edges, works wonderfully well in the confines of the Museum of Comedy. It is very awkward, but also funny and slightly sad. The accompanying slideshow adds to the humour and increases the audience’s belief in the story.
Audience participation is a given and my friend Alex is dragged up on stage to perform a sketch with Linda, rising to the occasion and increasing the audience’s laughter. Linda thrives on this and plays out the slightly taken aback but impressed performer, as they vie to outdo each other’s accent.
An Evening with Patti DuPont is a fun (albeit awkward) show, and Anna Emerson is a very talented comedienne and actress. I look forward to seeing what she does next!
Reviewed by Michaela Clement-Hayes