Review: My Name Is Sue, Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff

Inside a darkened auditorium a shadowy figure rushes  down the aisle before emerging on stage.

As the lights go up, a slightly flustered but beaming brunette  greets us.

Welcome to Sue’s world.

For the next hour or so we’re  taken on a musical tour de  force of her life – from her  childhood memories of eating  tea with her mum and dad, to  her time at a Swiss finishing  school and her travels on a bus  through Cardiff.

We also experience a Cardiff Armageddon and are treated to  an ode to Julia Roberts as Sue commemorates the Hollywood  star’s movie Sleeping With The Enemy.

My Name Is Sue is the  brainchild of Cardiff composer, playwright and performer Dafydd James, who is  outstanding as he energetically portrays Sue, and writer-director Ben Lewis.

The production is a cross  between theatre, cabaret and a  comedy gig. As Sue plays the  piano with skill and sings  about her experiences in a  soaring falsetto voice, she’s  like a modern day Victoria  Wood (minus the hostess trolley).

Sue is joined by a backing band made up of three other ‘Sues’  who each have the same brunette wig and frumpy clothes. Unlike the leading lady, they don’t break into a single smile  between them but they bring a  solid musical contribution.

My Name Is Sue became a cult musical hit after winning the Total Theatre Award for music and theatre at the Edinburgh  Festival Fringe in 2009.

Now it’s about to make a comeback at the world famous  festival next month when it  plays a key role in the opening  of Edinburgh theatre Underbelly’s new multi-million  pound purpose-built studio venue – the Topside.

This performance at Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff was the  only Edinburgh warm-up but judging by the crowd’s reaction, James has got it spot-on once again.

Full of energy and humour, it was also surprisingly touching in places as you empathised with this somewhat odd-ball character’s misfortunes.

Edinburgh audiences are in for another treat.

My Name Is Sue is at the  Edinburgh Festival Fringe  from August 12 to 26. For  details, visit www.edfringe.com