Sara Pascoe's latest show, Success Story, at the Shaftesbury Theatre is a hugely enjoyable two-part performance. The first half explores the pros and cons of celebrity, while the second delves into the ups and downs of motherhood. Both sections leave the audience wanting more.
Pascoe recounts her brushes with stardom, starting with a disastrous audition for a Michael Barrymore series as a teenage singer. She also describes encounters with Nigel Farage, a gig for Hugh Grant's birthday, and a meeting with astronaut Buzz Aldrin. One standout anecdote involves receiving a sex toy from Lily Allen, which her dog mistook for a bone.
The second act focuses on Pascoe's journey through IVF and motherhood. She finds humour in pelvic scans, sperm donations, and the challenges of parenting a toddler she describes as a 'suicidal chimpanzee'. Despite initial misgivings about having children, she now embraces her role as a mother, often exclaiming 'I'm someone's mum!' in disbelief.
Pascoe's material is delivered with a playful, engaging style that prevents self-indulgence. Her fresh take on showbiz and maternal experiences makes Success Story a wonderfully constructed and eloquently delivered show.
