one4review | On 14, Aug 2024

As California burns, and water is dangerously scarce, Stacey the weather girl from Fresno, heads to the local TV station at 4am every day to give upbeat and cheerful weather forecasts between mind numbing daytime shows. As the wildfires approach and smoke is in the air, the station carries on regardless, whilst Stacey becomes more and more fraught. Her glamourous and upbeat façade is maintained by minimal food intake and a water bottle filled with prosecco, but when her boss, Jerry, announces that she is being transferred to Phoenix, the driest city in the US, all hell breaks loose. As she spirals out of control, she has a date with a man she hates, who is building property in an area that doesn’t have enough water for the population. She also reconnects with her homeless mother, a woman who begs for money – not for drugs, but for a slot in the karaoke bar. However, could Stacey and her mother have a superpower that could save California?

This is a terrific performance by Julia McDermott, whose delivery of the razor sharp and witty dialogue was as mesmerising as it was funny. The climate change message is hammered home from the start of the show, as is the message of human culpability in the state of our planet. The staging of the play is superb, with special mention for the lighting, although I would suggest joining the queue early as the view is quite restricted towards the back of the venue. The audience loved this play, as did I. Well worth it’s 5 stars!

*****
Reviewed by Rona

6pm (1hr)
Summerhall
Until 26th August (not 19th)