Review by Izzy Tierney
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
After a sell out run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, it's now Soho Theatre's turn to host another sold out run of the comically catastrophic Weather Girl. Knowing this one-woman show is courtesy of Francesca Moody Productions, the same minds behind Fleabag, Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder! and Baby Reindeer, meant I had high expectations, and I'm pleased to report it definitely lives up to them.
Clocking in at sixty minutes, the play follows weather girl Stacey; a seemingly perfect beacon of joy who spends her life fake smiling for cameras and drinking prosecco like it's water. When wildfires break out across California, Stacey is there to reassure viewers that all will be okay, but as the fires rapidly spread and become increasingly dangerous, the pretence of normality Stacey has always perfectly executed melts into a chaotic, desperate plea for the earth to once again be listened to.
Julia McDermott commands the stage as Stacey with endless energy, brilliant comedic timing, and ever-present undertones of sincerity that enable the funny moments to enhance the serious nature of the show rather than hinder or overshadow it. As the disaster escalates, McDermott does a fantastic job at gradually unravelling Stacey's mental state until her most authentic self is on full display, creating an incredibly moving climax as she begs people to take the reality of climate change seriously.
At every step of the way, Isabella Byrd's impressive lighting sets the scene perfectly, transforming a simple set of a green screen with recording equipment into a city ablaze, engulfed in orange and smoke. The shift between the bright, polished, artificial atmosphere of a TV broadcast and the often dark, natural lighting of Stacey’s personal life is dramatic and works perfectly to demonstrate the difference between the disingenuous positivity on screen and the harsh truth of the world outside.
The script is excellent, a triumph of dark comedy mixed with a vital message that always feels genuine and important. In only an hour, Brian Watkins has managed to write a character who is chaotic enough to keep the plot fun and unexpected but at her core is deeply relatable. The laughs hit you out of nowhere during some of the more serious bits which can be tricky to get right, but Watkins more than succeeds with no joke landing flat thanks to his clever writing and McDermott’s expert delivery. The only part of the book that felt underdeveloped was the character of Stacey's mother and their relationship. We know that her mother is homeless and addicted to drugs, that Stacey was raised by foster parents and that the two of them seem to share a special gift, but as no more depth is given it makes it hard to connect to that part of the story which is a shame.
For a show that tackles such a harrowing subject, it ends on a surprisingly positive note; clearly telling its audience that hope is not lost, should we choose to listen. As the consequences of climate change become increasingly severe and dangerous, I think it's my favourite scene of the entire play, letting a dire situation beautifully culminate in an uplifting moment of optimism that we could all do with feeling.
Extremely relevant and funny with an outstanding solo performance, Weather Girl proves its Edinburgh Fringe popularity is more than justified.
Weather Girl plays at Soho Theatre until April 5th
For tickets and information visit https://sohotheatre.com/events/weather-girl/
Photos by Pamela Raith